European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom is continuing to petition the United States for exemptions to the upcoming steel and aluminum tariffs. Politico quotes her as saying the tariffs will shake the transatlantic relationship between the countries if they go into effect. She told Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross during a phone call that the EU “as a close security ally …
European Union Will Hit Back Against U.S. Tariffs
The President of the European Commission says he’ll “bring forward in the next few days a proposal for WTO-compatible countermeasures against the U.S.” Politico says the move is intended to hit back against the steel and aluminum tariffs announced on Thursday by President Trump. The Commission says the 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum will directly …
EU Delays Ruling on Bayer-Monsanto Merger, Again
The European Union has again delayed a ruling regarding Bayer’s planned takeover of Monsanto. Earlier this week, EU Commission antitrust investigators extended their investigation by five working days until March 12th, according to Reuters. The ongoing proceedings would have given Bayer until midnight on Monday to offer further concessions to EU regulators or request another extension of up to 10 …
EU Moves to Ban Palm Oil from Biofuels
The European Union (EU) gave approval to a climate plan that includes banning palm oil from use in fuels, angering palm oil producers. Indonesia and Malaysia, the two largest palm oil producing nations in the world, call the move a protectionist trade barrier. The ban is part of a power market overhaul aimed at reducing energy consumption to meet climate …
EU Grants Glyphosate License Renewal
After two years of dispute, the European Union (EU) has extended the license for glyphosate for five years. Representatives from a majority of the EU’s 28 nations approved the five-year license renewal of glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world. The unexpected move unblocked a two-year deadlock after the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer …
EU Starts In-Depth Look at Bayer-Monsanto Deal
A regulatory watchdog in the European Union is taking an in-depth look at the Bayer-Monsanto deal, a move that Bayer says the company expected. A news release by Bayer says the company had expected a further review of the proposed acquisition of Monsanto due to the size and scope of the transaction. Bayer believes that the proposed combination will be …