Agreements promise tariff removal and stronger protections, opening new opportunities for European wine exports to Latin America

SAO PAULO/PARIS (Reuters) -Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva spoke by phone on Wednesday with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and discussed U.S. tariffs and the Mercosur-European Union trade deal, Brazil’s government said in a statement. Lula voiced his opposition to tariffs on Brazilian goods, and the two leaders committed to concluding negotiations on the long-awaited deal between the South American bloc and the EU by the end of the year, the statement said. Lula had previously said he was hopeful the two parties would be able to finalize the deal in the second half, when his country holds the rotating presidency of Mercosur, which also includes Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The trade pact was agreed in principle in December, but has faced pushback from countries such as France, which says the deal’s terms would harm its agricultural sector. "We also spoke at length about economic issues, particularly tariffs, as well as our bilateral cooperation in the fields of defense and transport," Macron added. With valuations skyrocketing in 2024, many investors are uneasy putting more money into stocks. Unsure where to invest next? Get access to our proven portfolios and discover high-potential opportunities. In 2024 alone, ProPicks AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. That's an impressive track record. With portfolios tailored for Dow stocks, S&P stocks, Tech stocks, and Mid Cap stocks, you can explore various wealth-building strategies.

Le Qatar lance une tournée en Afrique centrale et australe, avec des milliards d’investissements pour renforcer son influence et ses alliances.

After the high-stakes Alaska and Washington summits, Europe has managed to hold the line, buying time and keeping Ukraine at the centre of transatlantic diplomacy. Yet, Trump’s commitment remains a do...

(Reuters) -The EU is ready to retaliate to safeguard its interests if the U.S. proceeds with imposing a threatened 30% tariff on European goods starting on August 1, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday. However, von der Leyen, head of the EU executive which handles trade policy for the 27 member countries of the EU, said it was also ready to keep working towards an agreement by August 1. "Few economies in the world match the European Union’s level of openness and adherence to fair trading practices," she said in response to new threats by U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday escalating a trade war Europe had hoped to avoid. "We will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required," she said of possible retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods entering Europe. European capitals swiftly backed that position. "As part of European unity, it is more than ever up to the Commission to assert the Union’s determination to defend European interests resolutely," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X. German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche urged a statement for a "pragmatic outcome to the negotiations". "The tariffs would hit European exporting companies hard. At the same time, they would also have a strong impact on the economy and consumers on the other side of the Atlantic," she said. Spain’s Economy Ministry backed further negotiations but added that Spain and others in the EU were ready to take "proportionate countermeasures if necessary". Trump has periodically railed against the European Union, saying in February it was "formed to screw the United States" and asking why Europe exports so many cars but buys so few U.S. cars in return. His biggest grievance is the U.S. merchandise trade deficit with the EU, which in 2024 amounted to $235 billion, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The EU has repeatedly pointed to the U.S. surplus in services, arguing it in part redresses the balance. Combining goods, services and investment, the EU and the United States are each other’s largest trading partners by far. The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU said in March the trade dispute could jeopardise $9.5 trillion of business in the world’s most important commercial relationship. "Europe must not allow itself to be intimidated by this, but must soberly seek a solution at the negotiating table on equal terms," said Dirk Jandura, president of the German exporters association BGA, adding the latest threats were a "well-rehearsed" part of his negotiating strategy. Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING, said Trump’s move suggested that months of negotiations remained deadlocked and that things were inching towards a make-or-break moment for the transatlantic trade relationship. "The EU will now have to decide whether to budge or to play hardball," he said. "Its hard to draw real conclusions right now other than this will bring market volatility and even more uncertainty." Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, noted that the brunt of the U.S. tariffs, if implemented, would be felt by U.S. consumers. "The EU should take a hard line in negotiations, because model calculations show that tariffs against the EU have a stronger negative effect in the US than in the eurozone." That said, there would also be clear repercussions for the euro area economy, already struggling with weak growth. The European Central Bank had used a 10% tariff on EU exports to the United States as the baseline in its latest economic projections, which put output growth in the euro area at 0.9% this year and 1.1% the next and 1.3% in 2027. It said a 20% U.S. tariff would curb growth by 1 percentage point over the same period and also pull down inflation to 1.8% in 2027, from 2.0% in the baseline scenario. It did not even offer an estimate for the possibility of a 30% tariff.

The Institute is looking for a new Head of people and organisation. Deadline: 28 August 2025, 12:00 CEST.

<p>STRASBOURG/TEHRAN/JERUSALEM - As the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies, EU parliamentarian Hannah Neumann (Greens) has shared her insights on the situation, including the potential for r...

Move comes amid budget cuts for several European Union institutions.