Merz, Macron seek tougher EU measures against unfair trade
Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz have written to Ursula von der Leyen, calling for tougher EU mechanisms against unfair trade practices by other states. They name no names but seem to have China or the US in mind.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have jointly urged the European Commission to implement stronger trade policies against unfair practices by other nations. They argued that current EU instruments are insufficient due to China's trade policies, the EU's deficit with China, and its reliance on certain raw materials.
The appeal did not specify any particular country but pointed to China and the US as potential targets, including under the current unpredictable trade policies of President Donald Trump. The letter, a non-paper, proposes two new measures: one to ensure companies diversify suppliers and another to swiftly exclude a country from the European single market if exceptional circumstances necessitate it.
Merz and Macron stated that the EU's struggles with global competitiveness and dependencies on key suppliers create geoeconomic risks. The letter highlights the EU's massive trade deficit with China and its heavy reliance on China for raw materials, particularly rare earths, and high-tech imports and services.
Written by urgent.news from DW English (Business)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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