Camille Gijs

The EU’s narrow, perilous path to the Mercosur trade deal Fresh pushback in the European Parliament and hesitation in EU capitals could still derail a push to sign the accord before Christmas.

A jolt of optimism that Brussels and Mercosur can finally seal their trade deal this year has given way to trepidation that everything could fall apart just before the finish line.

The EU’s narrow, perilous path to the Mercosur trade deal

With @maxgriera.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/eu-p...

In the new scramble for Africa’s resources, Europe tries to right old wrongs Ursula von der Leyen says African countries should benefit from resource extraction — but Brussels has yet to deliver on that promise.

NEW: Ursula von der Leyen says African countries should benefit from resource extraction — but Brussels has yet to deliver on that promise.

www.politico.eu/article/in-t...

EU to request booze, pasta, cheese tariff exemptions from Trump administration Brussels to present wish list to top Trump officials when they visit on Monday.

NEW: Brussels will ask the Trump administration to exempt a list of sensitive EU goods ranging from whiskies through to medical equipment from U.S. tariffs, according to a list we've seen.

It will be presented to top US trade officials Lutnick and Greer on Monday.

www.politico.eu/article/eu-t...

EU to request booze, pasta, cheese tariff exemptions from Trump administration Brussels to present wish list to top Trump officials when they visit on Monday.

The European Commission will ask the Donald Trump administration to exempt a list of sensitive EU goods ranging from whiskies through to medical equipment from US tariffs, according to a 27-page list seen by POLITICO.

EU to present tariff exemption wishlist to top Trump envoys Brussels will put forward request to U.S. officials to exempt goods like medical devices and alcohol from President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

NEW: The European Commission is set to present a list of sectors that it wants to be exempted from U.S. tariffs to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer when they meet EU ministers next Monday.

www.politico.eu/article/eu-t...

EU eyes final signing of Mercosur deal before Christmas Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen would jet into Brazil to ink the long-awaited accord on Dec. 20 — as long as EU capitals give the green light.

Commission chief von der Leyen is looking to fly to Brazil to ink the long-awaited deal with Mercosur on Dec. 20 — as long as EU capitals give the green light.

The date of the signing was floated by Costa at a leaders summit last week.

with @zimmerfrau.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/eu-m...

The EU’s new peace offering to Trump: A bonfire of its business rules. Ursula von der Leyen is selling simplification like a Kinder Egg — sweet on the outside for European business, with a surprise inside for the U.S. president.

What began as a push to free Europe’s businesses from crippling rules has morphed into yet another tactic to appease Donald Trump.

Our story with @mariannegros.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/brus...

EU can cut red tape without bowing to Trump, says Denmark Brussels should stand firm against Washington while seizing the moment to advance its own rule-cutting reforms, Danish foreign minister tells POLITICO.

We also touched upon the future of the EU's trade policy, and the deregulation push that will be high on the agenda of a meeting of EU leaders next week.

Cutting red tape doesn't necessarily mean bowing to Trump, Rasmussen said, it's in the EU's own interest.

Story:
www.politico.eu/article/eu-c...

China’s rare earths export restrictions dominated the trade ministerial in Denmark — further squeezing the EU between Washington and Beijing.

The EU should "reach out to the Americans," Danish FM Rasmussen told me.

"We are more or less in the same situation. We should use the G7 framework."

EU urges G7 response to China’s rare-earth export curbs Brussels and Washington want joint response to Beijing’s export controls, says EU trade chief.

As he entered today's meeting, the EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič called on a coordinated response at the G7 level and hopes to speak with his Chinese counterparts in the next week.

“This is seen as a critical concern,” he said.

Story:
www.politico.eu/article/eu-m...

Hello from Horsens, Denmark where the EU’s trade ministers meet today.

The relationship with China is under the spotlight, amid fresh tensions over Beijing’s export restrictions on rare earths.

Denmark’s FM Rasmussen said that the EU should “have a tough response” and coordinate with the U.S.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu resigns — live updates France’s fifth government in three years resigns just 12 hours after being appointed.

What France's collapse means for EU trade policy

"France will increasingly be seen as unreliable and unyielding — giving Germany and others more influence and leadership at this crucial time for Europe," said Georgina Wright, from the German Marshall Fund.

Liveblog:
www.politico.eu/article/fran...

Thanks so much to @ec.europa.eu Matthias Jørgensen, AmChamEU Malte Lohan and @euambus.bsky.social Jovita Neliupšienė for sharing your insights.

Rewatch here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGcH...

During POLITICO's Competitive Europe Summit, Brazil’s ambassador to the EU da Costa e Silva confirmed our scoop that the EU and Mercosur countries are aiming to get the deal signed at the start of Dec., but he didn't hide his skepticism that the timeline could slip.

www.politico.eu/article/comp...

Brussels aims to sign Mercosur trade deal on Dec. 5 U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff crusade has pushed the EU toward completing its long-awaited agreement with the South American bloc.

The European Commission is eyeing a possible signature of its long-awaited partnership agreement with the Mercosur bloc of South American countries on Dec. 5 in Brazil, four EU diplomats told @politico.eu

w/ @camgijs.bsky.social @koenverhelst.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/brus...

2) Ace colleague @jacopobarigazzi.bsky.social got hold of the draft proposal of the 19th sanctions package against Russia.

We unpack the details of the text, with @victorjack.bsky.social 👇

pro.politico.eu/news/205158

Some goodies for our Pros this morning 👀

1) Ahead of today’s round of negotiations on how the EU will go about screening foreign investments, I’ve got my hands on the 4-column document outlining the bloc’s latest thinking.

Spoiler? The two big fights remain.

pro.politico.eu/news/205173

It’s not all pomp and ceremony during Trump’s state visit to the UK.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent are also in town — and there’s plenty for them to discuss with British officials.

Follow along on our live blog: ow.ly/a3m150WY2AW

EU plans more sanctions on China. Will that be enough for Trump? Donald Trump says he’ll slap a harsh embargo on the Kremlin if Brussels turns the screws on China, but EU diplomats suspect the U.S. president is stalling.

The EU is weighing new sanctions on China to appease Trump and push him to act on Russia.

But turning the screws on Beijing puts Brussels in a bind — leaving EU diplomats wondering if Trump's demand is a trap.

More here from our ace newsroom:
www.politico.eu/article/eu-c...

EU plans more sanctions on China. Will that be enough for Trump? Donald Trump says he’ll slap a harsh embargo on the Kremlin if Brussels turns the screws on China, but EU diplomats suspect the U.S. president is stalling.

The EU is planning more sanctions on China.

Will it be enough for Donald Trump to persuade Donald Trump to finally press Russia to end the war in Ukraine?

European Socialists mobilize against Trump’s trade deal The second-largest group in the European Parliament says no, complicating Ursula von der Leyen’s effort to build a majority to back the deal.

The next obstacle to the trade deal between the EU and the US won’t come from the Oval Office — but rather from the second-biggest party in the European Parliament.

Europe’s ‘century of humiliation’ could be just beginning Donald Trump is using America’s military and technological superiority to force one-sided deals on Europe.

Ursula von der Leyen’s dash to Donald Trump’s golf resort in Scotland last month to seal an unbalanced trade deal has raised fears among politicians and analysts that Europe has lost the leverage that it once thought it had as a leading global trade power.

My latest

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

EU faces first test of fragile trade truce with Trump Donald Trump’s threat to target the bloc’s digital rules comes days after joint agreement on trade.

The ink is still drying on a leaders’ statement formalizing a tariff deal between the EU and the United States, and President Donald Trump is already threatening to tear it up.

w/ colleague in crime @camgijs.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/eu-f...

Trump deal threatens EU’s image as champion of rules-based trade The fragile tariff truce has spared Europe from the U.S. president’s wrath and kept him on board on Ukraine so far — but at a reputational cost.

Europe has lectured Beijing, Washington and New Delhi for years on the importance of rules-based trade.

Now, following its not-so-free-trade-friendly trade deal with Trump, the bloc is struggling to reconcile principles and reality.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

US caps tariffs on European cars, medicines at 15 percent Four-page joint statement clarifies the trade deal struck by Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen last month.

The United States will cap tariffs on European cars, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors at 15 percent, Washington and Brussels have agreed in a joint statement seen by POLITICO.

EU eyes 3rd retaliatory strike against Trump that would hit services As the EU runs out of goods to target, it’s looking at broadening its response to Washington’s tariff punishment.

NEW: The European Commission is looking at a third retaliation package against U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, four diplomats told us.

This time, it's looking at services.

More, with @koenverhelst.bsky.social and @gabrielgavin.bsky.social:

www.politico.eu/article/eu-c...

Mega scoop by @camgijs.bsky.social 🔥🔥🔥

🚨NEW: The European Union is looking at targeting €72,1 billion in U.S. goods in its second strike of retaliatory tariffs, according to the latest list seen by POLITICO.

It still needs to be endorsed by EU countries.

Details of targeted U.S. goods are on Pro:

pro.politico.eu/news/201910

Von der Leyen just confirmed our scoop in the press conference:

"Today we received the latest U.S. document for further negotiations. We are assessing it as we speak right now. But we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory factory agreement is within reach."