EU | DD News

April 30, 2026 2:52 PM

EU kickstarts Mercosur pact to counter US trade hit

The European Union and South American bloc Mercosur will implement on Friday a contentious free trade agreement that the EU in particular hopes will benefit exporters and calm critics, even if it cannot fully offset the blow from U.S. tariffs. Backers including Germany and Spain say the agreement will help compensate for the hit from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and reduce reliance on China for critical minerals. France and other critics argue it will increase imports of cheap beef and...

April 22, 2026 1:01 PM

Number of immigrants in EU reaches record high of 64.2 million in 2025, study shows

The number of immigrants residing in the European Union climbed to a record high of 64.2 million in 2025, up about 2.1 million from a year earlier, according to a report published on Wednesday by the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin. The figure compares with 40 million in 2010, the report said, citing Eurostat and U.N. Refugee Agency data. Germany remained the bloc's biggest host of foreign-born people at nearly 18 million, 72% of them of working age, while Spain poste...

March 20, 2026 10:28 AM

EU leaders call for moratorium on strikes against energy and water facilities in Middle East

European Union leaders called on Thursday for a moratorium on military strikes on energy and water facilities in the Middle East, amid growing concerns about the impact of the Iran war on the global economy. "The European Council calls for de-escalation and maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and full respect of international law by all parties," the leaders of the EU's 27 countries said in written conclusions of a summit in Brussels. "In this regard, it ...

March 3, 2026 10:12 AM

France to boost nuclear arsenal, involve European allies in deterrence

France will expand its nuclear arsenal and will potentially allow European partners to host its aircraft on nuclear deterrence missions, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday, signalling a major doctrine change for France and the continent. Though France and Britain are both nuclear powers, most European countries have relied primarily on the United States for deterring any potential adversaries - a decades-old pillar of transatlantic security. But Trump's rapprochement with Russia on the U...

February 16, 2026 10:12 AM

Europe aims to rely less on US defence after Trump’s Greenland push

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reflected a feeling of profound change among European leaders at this weekend's Munich Security Conference when she said: "Some lines have been crossed that cannot be uncrossed anymore". Transatlantic ties have already been strained over the past year by Donald Trump’s return to the White House. But the U.S. president’s push to annex Greenland dramatically increased European doubts about Washington’s commitment to protect the continent th...

February 2, 2026 10:16 PM

EU efforts to diversify critical raw material imports fail so far, auditors say

The European Court of Auditors said on Monday the EU's efforts to diversify its imports of metals and minerals critical to tech, defence and the energy transition had "yet to produce tangible results". The EU's Critical Raw Materials Act in 2024 set a plan to boost local production of 34 strategic materials to reduce an over-reliance on imports from just a few countries - mainly China, Turkey and Chile. The list includes lithium, antimony, tungsten, copper and rare earth elements needed to man...

February 2, 2026 4:19 PM

Europe’s $955 billion recovery fund struggles to transform economy

In olive groves and vineyards dotted across Spain, sensors and drones paid for by Europe's largest recovery fund since the post-war Marshall Plan are gathering soil data to feed into AI models which will help farmers better manage their crops. The project - decarbonising and digitalising a key economic sector - is exactly what the European Union's $955-billion "Next Generation" fund, agreed six years ago and fast approaching final payout deadlines, was designed to nurture. Yet skills shortages...

January 30, 2026 4:05 PM

PM Modi shares article on historic India-EU Free Trade Agreement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared an article authored by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on the historic India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Responding to a post by Goyal on X, the Prime Minister said the article outlined how the landmark trade agreement expands markets, creates jobs, and safeguards India’s core interests. He described the piece as a “must-read” for understanding the transformative impact of the India–EU trade deal. “In this must-...

January 28, 2026 9:29 PM

India, EU deepen partnership on secure 6G and digital infrastructure

India and the European Union have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic cooperation in next-generation digital technologies, including 6G telecommunications, with a focus on security, trust, and resilient global supply chains. The renewed partnership reflects a shared vision to build secure, interoperable, and future-ready digital infrastructure, as highlighted in the Leaders’ Statement issued during the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the ...

January 28, 2026 2:18 PM

‘India comes out on top’: US Trade Representative Greer says India gains access to EU markets after FTA

United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said that India stands to benefit the most from the recently concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union, citing greater market access, labour advantages, and potential mobility opportunities for Indian workers. In an interview with Fox News, Greer said the agreement must be viewed in the context of shifting global trade dynamics under US President Donald Trump's push to prioritise domestic production. He noted that the Eur...