Media

From Piraeus to the Western Balkans: China’s Growing Footprint in Southeast Europe
Senior Fellow Bernd Cristoph Ströhm writes for the Hungarian Conservative about how China and the EU compete for influence in the Western Balkans, with China prioritising Serbia. EU investment remains dominant, but integration frustrations persist region-wide.
Europe must show its trade alternatives are a better model of action than Trump’s
David Henig writes for The Observer on US tariff deals with the EU limiting economic damage but adding uncertainty.
Why the UK should embrace rule-taking
David Henig argues that the government should embrace a new approach to regulation, aligning with EU rules by default unless there is a compelling reason otherwise via UK In a Changing Europe.
Forget trade wars — the future isn’t about physical goods, but data, ideas and services
Erik van der Marel analyses how globalisation is evolving, driven by intangible flows like data and ideas, benefiting the US economy despite trade wars and populism, and requiring adaptive policies via The Hill.
Unpredictable Patterns #128: What is a healthy public sphere?
Fredrik Erixon contributes for the Substack “Unpredictable Patterns” on a post looking at how a healthy public sphere requires trust in independent institutions.
Digital sovereignty starts with cloud customer choice
Matthias Bauer writes for Encompass on how Europe must prioritise real cloud customer choice, balancing regulation, competition, and open standards to unlock digital innovation, flexibility, and economic growth across the EU.
Perspectives: Sleepwalking is not a trade policy
David Henig writes about how the EU’s trade policy is struggling amid divisions, growing protectionism, and institutional inertia via Borderlex.
Antes del ojo por ojo, recuerde lo que decía su madre
[Behind Paywall in Spanish] Oscar Guinea writes an op-ed for El País on how Europe should respond strategically to Trump’s tariffs, avoiding a tit-for-tat that hurts its businesses and citizens.
Perspectives: Settling for WTO survival
David Henig writes his column for Borderlex on the unlikely WTO reform until political conditions are more favourable.
Trump y el Magaverso
[Spanish] Renata Zilli writes for El Economista about Trump wielding tariffs as a political tool, fuelling a populist, protectionist narrative.
Entering a new phase
David Henig writes about the UK-EU Summit reset relations with modest gains on trade, energy, and mobility via UK Trade & Business Commission.
Brussels Blueprint, Turkish Overreach? The Risks of Copying the EU’s Digital Competition Law
Matthias Bauer and Dyuti Pandya writes about Turkey’s proposed digital competition rules mimicking the EU’s DMA, risking overregulation, stifled innovation, and deterred foreign investment via Turkish Law Blog.
Perspectives: EU needs new partnerships to complement FTAs
David Henig writes his column for Borderlex on the EU having to modernise trade policy by integrating FTAs with regulatory initiatives, fostering partnerships, prioritising economic security, and creating frameworks for long-term cooperation and global leadership.
Attractivité française : des atouts et des soucis
[French] Elena Sisto is interviewed by the Newsletter BLOCS on French attractiveness remaining strong in sectors like quantum technologies, but facing macroeconomic challenges and competition from US industrial policies.
Trump’s tariff war has a digital second act
Hosuk Lee-Makiyama writes for Business Day on how SA’s digital regulation could deepen the US tariff dispute.

Europe’s economic weakness has fatal geopolitical consequences
ECIPE’s work on the comparison between the EU and US economy cited in Daniel Stelter’s op-ed.
François Bayrou et Emmanuel Macron, les nouveaux anti-européens ?
[French] Le Journal du Dimanche highlights ECIPE’s concerns about the deterioration of cooperation between Member States and the EU Single Market.
The EU wants to finalize a trade deal with Indonesia by September. Can it?
Hosuk Lee-Makiyama notes via POLITICO Europe that the EU-Indonesia “political agreement” is not a completed deal, but rather signals leaders’ intention to finalise negotiations soon.
Why Britain faces a bigger Trump tariff blow than no-deal Canada
[Behind Paywall] David Henig notes the UK’s 10% tariff deal with the US seems best superficially, but scrutiny reveals it’s less favourable for certain sectors compared to Canada’s arrangement via The Telegraph..
Who are the winners and losers of Trump’s tariffs?
David Henig comments for NBC that Trump’s tariff decisions lack clear logic, likely using previous formulas, with some countries unfairly treated and others receiving unexplained reprieves.
Trump’s trade war returns America to the 1930s
David Henig notes via The Telegraph that EU, Japanese, and Korean carmakers performed better than anticipated in Trump’s trade war due to lower-than-expected tariffs.
Buying $650 billion in US energy products: a deal that’s almost impossible to keep
[Behind paywall in Spanish] Oscar Guinea comments in El País on the EU-US trade deal.
Trump hosts Starmer in Scotland, promoting his own golf club
David Henig notes UK prime ministers adapt to each US president’s style via the Washington Post.
Donald Trump’s hard tariff deadline dissolves into whirl of endless confusion
[Behind Paywall] The op-ed “Forget trade wars — the future isn’t about physical goods, but data, ideas and services” by Erik van der Marel published in The Hill is referenced via the Financial Times’ “Trade Secrets”.
Von der Leyen ducks Trump’s trade blitz – but deal exposes EU’s faultlines
David Henig believes Trump’s actions will only marginally affect trade and economic growth for both the EU and US via The Guardian.
The US-EU trade deal in numbers – how it compares to UK deal
David Henig doubts businesses will relocate production for small tariff differences, arguing supply chains need certainty that such advantages will last, which is currently lacking via BBC.
EU sets the scene for two-year fight with budget overhaul proposal
[Behind Paywall] The study “Breaking Barriers to Cloud Customer Choice: Unlocking Europe’s AI and Innovation Leadership” by Matthias Bauer, Andrea Dugo, and Dyuti Pandya is highlighted by the Financial Times.
Donald Trump deal to leave EU facing higher tariffs than UK
[Behind Paywall] David Henig notes the EU faces a tougher challenge than the UK with Trump, as a 10% tariff is better than expected but still disappointing for initial EU ambitions via Financial Times.
EU-CPTPP talks highlight shared goals and stubborn obstacles
David Henig argues CPTPP lacks focus on EU priorities like climate and digital policy via The Japan Times.
Beijing wary as US plots quiet trade war to isolate China; India in negotiation room
Hosuk Lee-Makiyama considers that China’s statement targets Brussels, reflecting concern that the EU might align with US trade positions, via The Economic Times.

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