Trump Says He Will Raise Tariffs on EU Autos to 25%

U.S. President Donald Trump said ‌on Friday he would increase tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union to 25%, saying the bloc had not complied with its trade deal with Washington, Reuters reported. "Based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing ​Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States," he wrote in a ​social media post. "It is fully understood and agreed that, if they produce Cars and Trucks in ⁠U.S.A.
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EU Support to Help 507 Belgian Workers Find a New Job

The European Parliament on Wednesday backed €2 million in EU aid for workers laid off after the bankruptcy of Liberty Steel Belgium, according to a press release. MEPs endorsed a Commission proposal to mobilise €2 million from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers (EGF) to support 507 workers who lost their jobs following the bankruptcy of Liberty Steel Belgium, a manufacturer of basic metals, in April 2025. The report passed with 586 votes in favour, 48 against, and 16 abstentions.
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EU Kickstarts Mercosur Pact to Counter U.S. Trade Hit

The European Union and South American bloc Mercosur will implement on Friday a contentious free trade agreement that ​the EU in particular hopes will benefit exporters and calm critics, even if it cannot fully offset the blow from U.S. tariffs, Reuters reported. Backers including ‌Germany and Spain say the agreement will help compensate for the hit from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and reduce reliance on China for critical minerals.
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EU Explores Rolling Over Covid-Era Debt as Spending Needs Mount

The European Union is looking into delaying repayments on billions in debt it took on during the pandemic, as countries search for more money to spend now on defense and advanced technologies, Bloomberg News reported. The European Commission, the EU executive’s arm, is preparing an analysis of the possibility, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Several countries, including France, have already urged the EU to push back the payments, which are set to begin in 2028, arguing that tightening budgets and urgent spending needs should take priority.
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EU Proposes Plan to Soften Energy Price Shock From Iran War

The European Union proposed measures such as optimizing jet fuel distribution and cutting energy taxes to navigate the Iran war-driven crisis that it said could reverberate for years, Bloomberg News reported. “AccelerateEU” — announced by the European Commission on Wednesday — gives member states the tools to curb energy prices and address potential fuel shortages, without undermining the bloc’s climate ambitions or triggering damaging competition between nations. A longer-term objective is to electrify the economy to get rid of dependencies and avert future fossil fuel shocks.
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U.S. Tariffs Drive Steep Drop in EU Exports for Second Month

European Union ​exports to the United States dropped by more than a quarter for a second consecutive month in February, but may be exaggerating the ‌impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs, given they follow a year-ago period when front-loading began, Reuters reported. Exports from the 27-nation European Union to the United States fell by 26.4% in February, EU statistics agency Eurostat said on Friday, following a 27.8% drop in January, and contributing to a 60% reduction in the EU's trade surplus.
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