Page 6 - European Union

India, EU near FTA finish line, aim to close talks at January 27 summit

India and the European Union are in the final and most difficult phase of free trade agreement talks, with both sides aiming to announce the conclusion at the India-EU Summit in New Delhi on January 2

'Relations with US have taken a big blow', says EU foreign policy chief

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said relations with the US have taken a big blow in the past week, as tensions rose over Greenland and tariff threats during an emergency summit

EU ready to implement Mercosur trade deal despite parliament vote to delay

The European Union is willing to implement a sweeping free trade agreement with the Mercosur group of South American countries on a provisional basis, the head of the EU's executive commission said Friday, despite a vote by the EU parliament to delay ratification for legal review. The EU would be ready to act as soon as at least one Mercosur country ratifies, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at the conclusion of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, where several national leaders raised the issue. "There is a clear interest that we ensure that the benefits of this agreement apply as soon as possible," von der Leyen said at a news conference. "In short, we will be ready when they are ready." No formal decision to implement the deal had been taken yet, she said. At the same news conference, Antonio Costa, head of the EU council of member governments, said the executive commission had the authority to move ahead on interim implementation. A decision to do that is

European Union suspends GSP export benefits; to impact India's shipments

EU has withdrawn GSP tariff benefits on 87% of Indian exports from January 2026, raising duties on key sectors and hitting competitiveness ahead of the India-EU FTA

'Left with no alternative': EU freezes US trade deal over Greenland threat

The European Parliament's trade committee was set to decide its stand on the deal on January 26-27, but the vote has now been postponed

Markets giving too much importance to pending India-US trade deal: Analysts

India's exports to the EU, Incred suggests, are already comparable to those to the US, and within two-three quarters, supply chains can pivot meaningfully toward Europe

Five questions that will dominate debate in India and the world in 2026

Five major themes set to shape economic debate in 2026, from India-EU trade ties and fiscal strategy to data revisions, Fed independence and the risks around AI investment

Macron asks EU to consider trade 'bazooka' in response to US tariffs threat

Rattled by President Donald Trump's aggression towards Greenland, the European Union is readying counter-measures against the United States. But as primarily a trading bloc of 27 nations, the EU's toolkit is mostly financial instruments, from steep tariffs on US goods to the so-called "trade bazooka" touted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The term is shorthand for the bloc's Anti-Coercion Instrument, or ACI, that could sanction individuals or institutions found to be putting undue pressure on the EU. Those sanctions could inflict untold billions of dollars in costs to US companies by restricting EU market access, barring them from EU public tenders, and potentially limiting foreign direct investment and curtailing the export and import of goods and services. So far, there's little backing in the 27-nation EU to use it, with the exception of France. Macron warned in Davos on Tuesday that additional tariffs by the US could force the EU to use its anti-coercion mechanism for the

India, Spain push for early India-EU trade deal, eye strategic association

Spain has supported the early conclusion of India-EU trade negotiations, as New Delhi and Madrid discussed defence manufacturing, trade expansion, mobility and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

India-EU trade deal almost done, Spain's Albares signals stronger ties

Everything is going forward perfectly. We do not expect any obstacle," Spain's Foreign Minister Albares said after bilateral meetings with Jaishankar

EU on cusp of free trade pact with India: Ursula von der Leyen at Davos

She further linked the trade push to upcoming high-level engagement, saying she will travel to India next weekend after the conclusion of the World Economic Forum in Davos

Top EU official questions Trump's trustworthiness over Greenland threat

The European Union's top official on Tuesday called into question US President Donald Trump's trustworthiness, saying that he had agreed last year not to impose more tariffs on members of the bloc. The European Union and the United States have agreed to a trade deal last July. And in politics as in business a deal is a deal. And when friends shake hands, it must mean something, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. In a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Von der Leyen said that Trump's planned new tariffs over Greenland are a mistake especially between long-standing allies.

US-Europe have 'never been closer', says Bessent despite Greenland crisis

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday said America's relations with Europe remain strong and urged trading partners to take a deep breath and let tensions driven by the Trump administration's new tariff threats over Greenland play out. I think our relations have never been closer, he said, speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. On Saturday, Trump announced a 10 per cent import tax starting in February on goods from eight European nations that have rallied around Denmark in the wake of his stepped up calls for the United States to take over the semi-autonomous territory of Greenland. Trump has insisted the US needs the territory for security reasons against possible threats from China and Russia.

European leaders question US security as trust fades a year into Trump 2.0

Intimidation," threats and blackmail are just some of the terms being used by European Union leaders to describe US President Donald Trump's warning that he will slap new tariffs on nations opposing American control of Greenland. European language has hardened since Trump returned to the White House 12 months ago. Now it's in reaction to the previously unthinkable idea that NATO's most powerful member would threaten to seize the territory of another ally. Trade retaliation is likely should Trump make good on his tariff announcement. A year into Trump 2.0, Europe's faith in the strength of the transatlantic bond is fading fast. For some, it's already disappeared. The flattery of past months has not worked and tactics are evolving as the Europeans try to manage threats from an old ally just as they confront the threat of an increasingly hostile Russia. Trump's first term brought NATO to the brink of collapse. I feared that NATO was about to stop functioning, former Secretary-General

Nobel prize not govt's call: Norway PM replies to Trump's Greenland threat

Norway's PM Jonas Gahr Store has clarified that the government plays no role in the Nobel Peace Prize, and decisions are made by an independent committee after Trump linked the snub to Greenland

Trump has an offramp on Greenland, but shows no interest in taking it

The strategic importance of Greenland is growing, and Nato has underinvested in Arctic security, but President Trump, intent on ownership, is rebuffing deals with Europe to solve the problem

India-EU Summit: Bilateral trade, defence and mobility deals on table

India and the European Union are set to announce the conclusion of a free trade agreement, firming up of a defence partnership pact and a framework for mobility of Indian professionals at the summit talks next week, diplomatic sources said on Monday. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26, and the India-EU summit will be held the next day. A military contingent from the EU, featuring the military staff flag and flags of Operations Atalanta and Aspides, the naval operations of the grouping, will feature at the Republic Day parade. It will be the EU's first participation in such an event outside of Europe, the sources said. Pressing global challenges, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in the Middle East and the political developments in Venezuela, will be among the global issues that the two sides are likely to delve into at the summit, they .

Trump links Greenland threats to Nobel prize snub in letter to Norway's PM

Trump rattled Nato allies over the weekend after threatening to impose tariffs on a group of European members of the alliance if he doesn't get control of Greenland

Silver crosses ₹3 lakh per kg; rally strong but correction risks loom

The tariff threat, tied to a dispute over control of Greenland and broader trade tensions, has rattled markets and reinforced precious metals' appeal as a hedge against economic instability.

EU's non-tariff barriers blunt tariff cuts; FTA should address this: GTRI

India should press the European Union (EU) to clear the "dense web" of non-tariff barriers for domestic products, especially in the agri and pharma sectors, under the proposed free trade agreement, as such restrictions often "blunt" the benefits of tariff reductions, think tank GTRI said on Monday. The conclusion of the India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations is expected to be announced on January 27 during the visit of the EU team here. The pact is nearing the finishing line after 18 years. The talks started in 2007. The President of the European Council, Antonio Luis Santos da Costa, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will be on a state visit to India from January 25-27. They are chief guests at the 77th Republic Day celebrations. The barriers faced by Indian products in the EU include regulatory delays in pharmaceutical approvals, stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (related to plants and animals) rules affecting food and agricultural ..