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A seven-member high-powered trade delegation of the European Union (EU) will visit India next week to push for finalising the long-awaited bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) between the two sides. The delegation of the EU Committee on International Trade will be in India from October 27 to 29 to discuss trade, economic and investment relations. It will be led by Cristina Maestre, the committee's standing rapporteur for India, and Brando Benifei. "The main objective of this visit is to contribute to increasing our mutual understanding amid intensive trade negotiations between the EU and India," Maestre and Benifei said in a statement. "The mission is timely taking place just a few months ahead of the deadline to conclude negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the end of 2025," they said. "We look forward to discussing the issues at stake as both sides have a mutual interest in reaching a meaningful bilateral agreement and in protecting the rules-based multilateral trad
Poland has elected Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian and staunch nationalist, as its next president in a closely watched vote that signals a resurgence of right-wing populism in the heart of Europe. Nawrocki, who is set to take office on Aug 6, is expected to shape the country's domestic and foreign policy in ways that could strain ties with Brussels while aligning the Central European nation of nearly 38 million people more closely with the administration of President Donald Trump in the United States. Here are some key takeaways: Conservative populism on the rise Nawrocki's victory underscores the enduring appeal of nationalist rhetoric among about half of the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union, and its deep social divisions. The 42-year-old historian who had no previous political experience built his campaign on patriotic themes, traditional Catholic values, and a vow to defend Poland's sovereignty against the EU and larger European nations li
European companies are cutting costs and scaling back investment plans in China as its economy slows and fierce competition drives down prices, according to an annual survey released Wednesday. Their challenges reflect broader ones faced by a Chinese economy hobbled by a prolonged real estate crisis that has hurt consumer spending. Beijing also faces growing pushback from Europe and the United States over surging exports. "The picture has deteriorated across many key metrics," the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said in the introduction to its Business Confidence Survey 2025. The same forces that are driving up Chinese exports are depressing the business outlook in the Chinese market. Chinese companies, often enticed by government subsidies, have invested so much in targeted industries such as electric vehicles that factory capacity far outpaces demand. The overcapacity has resulted in fierce price wars that cut into profits and a parallel push by companies into oversea
European Union leaders on Thursday lauded a groundswell of support for tightening their borders and making the bloc a more hostile destination for migrants and asylum seekers following a recent surge in support for the extreme right, which has fomented opposition to foreigners. They also backed Poland's moves to rein in migration after Warsaw said it wants to temporarily suspend the right to asylum because it feels Russia and Belarus are seeking to create chaos by pushing migrants across the EU border as a form of hybrid warfare targeting the 27-nation bloc. At the end of a summit dominated by migration issues, EU leaders were already fostering plans to speed up initiatives to get migrants not eligible to stay in the EU out of the bloc and process asylum applications far outside their borders, seeking to buttress a reputation as a Fortress Europe. Echoing comments from many quarters, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that Things are changing in the European Union. Now the
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday welcomed Italy's and the European Union's "greater interest" in the Indo-Pacific region, terming it as a "stabilising factor" and underlining that in a globalised world, it is important for all to take an interest in every corner of the world. Addressing the Joint Session of the Senate's External Affairs and Defence Commission here, Jaishankar talked about how India sees the world today. "We see, very frankly, very difficult times ahead, very turbulent times ahead," said Jaishankar, who is here on a two-day official visit to Italy, his fourth as Foreign Minister to Italy in the last four and a half years. He said India was watching with increasing concern the evolving situation in the Middle East. "Obviously, all of us will have an interest in ensuring that there is no escalation. But it is definitely an issue of concern," Jaishankar said. In his address, Jaishankar also welcomed the greater interest shown by Italy and the European .