Europe

Now it appears that Chery, China’s fourth-largest carmaker, which sold 2,603,916 vehicles in 2024 through its nine brands and joint ventures including with Jaguar Land Rover, is close to finalizing a deal to take over the two plants as it prepares to expand into European markets.

If it comes to an agreement to purchase the two German plants, it intends to manufacture models for its brand-new Lepas brand that was launched only a few weeks ago, on April 2, and sells modified versions of Chery‘s Tiggo range that will be available in global markets. European-made models will include two compact and one midsize SUVs with combustion, plug-in hybrid or all-electric powertrains.

Chery is no stranger to building cars in Europe in an effort to avoid the hefty taxes imposed on Chinese EVs by the EU as, since 2024, it has been assembling cars at a former Nissan factory in Barcelona, Spain in partnership with local firm Ebro.

Archived version

In 2028--or three years after the United States does something similar--Europe will abolish the exemption from customs duty on parcels worth less than €150 entering European territory.

[Now] several voices in Brussels are calling for the implementation of this measure to be speeded up, without waiting until 2028 or 2030. Some suggest dissociating the end of the €150 allowance from the rest of the major customs reform to apply it earlier.

[...]

On Tuesday, without waiting for Europe, France announced a “rapid introduction, at the European level, of a management fee mechanism on each small parcel entering Europe” to fund controls, according to public accounts minister Amélie de Montchalin, referring to “a few euros” per parcel.

Among the online sales platforms, Shein and Temu have established themselves in just a few years as e-commerce heavyweights in France and Europe, where they have 75m users. Shein, originally Chinese but now based in Singapore, specialises in ultra-trendy, low-cost fashion, while Temu (launched by the Pinduoduo group) sells a wide range of products, from textiles to toys to high-tech gadgets, at low prices. Between them, and alongside Amazon, Shein and Temu account for around a quarter of online fashion sales in France.

[...]

Traditionally, residents of the United States have enjoyed a very high exemption threshold: any import worth less than $800 could enter the country without customs duties or complex procedures, under the so-called “de minimis” rule. This system greatly benefited Chinese e-tailers [...] Now, this loophole is being closed. On 2 April 2025, US president Donald Trump signed an executive order abolishing the duty-free allowance for parcels originating in China and Hong Kong.

[...]

As a direct consequence, Chinese platforms are likely to redouble their efforts on the European market, where regulations are still considered to be more lenient. “There’s no doubt about it, there’s going to be an invasion from the Indo-Pacific region,” says Michel-Édouard Leclerc, head of the distribution group that shares his surname, anticipating a massive transfer of flows to Europe in the face of the closure of the American market. The European trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, spoke as early as February 2025 of the risk of a veritable “tsunami” of small parcels flooding the Old Continent if no measures were taken. In fact, the European Union has set up a surveillance task force to detect any suspicious explosion in imports of this type and is ready to activate trade safeguard clauses if necessary.

[...]

Product compliance in question

Alongside tax and customs measures, the authorities are keeping a close eye on the practices of Shein, Temu and their ilk in terms of product regulation and consumer safety. The European Commission has opened investigations into these two flagship Chinese e-commerce platforms. Shein is being investigated by Brussels on suspicion of allowing items to be sold that do not comply with European standards (whether in terms of product safety, intellectual property or regulatory compliance).

Temu, for its part, has been in the Commission's sights since last October for similar reasons, linked to placing potentially non-compliant products on the European market.

These investigations are part of the EU’s drive to make platforms accountable for the products they distribute, an issue reinforced by the entry into force of the Digital Services Act and other recent legislation on the surveillance of online markets. The results of these investigations are not yet known, but they demonstrate the increased vigilance of regulators with regard to these new players.

A Belgian agency ruled that the government’s sharing of Americans’ financial information with the IRS [Internal Revenue Service, the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes] under a US law violates European data protection laws.

The US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, requires reporting of foreign bank account information to the US agency.

The Belgian Data Protection Authority issued the ruling Thursday, saying sharing of this data in accordance with FATCA violated provisions in the EU General Data Protection Regulation, and it gave the Belgian government one year to bring its data-sharing into conformity with the GDPR.

• The authority initially blocked the sharing of data in 2023, in a case brought by the Accidental Americans Association of Belgium. A Brussels Market Court reversed the decision and sent it back to the authority later that year.
• The Association of Accidental Americans President Fabien Lehagre said his group welcomes the decision, which he said will stop the data transfers, but he decried the decision to give the government a year to comply. “Accidental Americans” are people who hold US citizenship by virtue of their birth but are established overseas.
• “Data protection cannot accommodate a political or administrative timetable,” he said. “Transfers must cease immediately.”

PSA: Simion is as good at lying as Trump is, and his party is full of grifters, scammers and profoundly ignorant fools.

Archived

[...]

“Numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment were found on the victim’s body, including abrasions and hemorrhages on various parts of the body, a broken rib, neck injuries, and possible electric shock marks on the feet. However, due to the condition of the body, experts have not yet been able to establish the cause of death." Yuriy Belousov, the head of the War Crimes Unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office, described the results of the forensic medical examination to us.

The body was missing some organs: the eyeballs, the brain, part of the larynx, and the hyoid bone was broken, said a source close to the investigation into Viktoriia Roshchyna’s death. It was launched by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine in March 2025.

A forensic expert, who requested anonymity, suggested in a conversation with journalists that the removal of specific organs could be an attempt to conceal strangulation: “Removing the larynx during an autopsy is not standard practice. The larynx can be good evidence of strangulation. When a person is strangled, the hyoid bone is most often broken. In cases of strangulation, bleeding can be found in the whites of the eyes, and a lack of oxygen in the brain.”

[...]

A person is abducted [in by Russia occupied territories of Ukraine] by people without insignia, they do not identify themselves, do not present any documents, and do not explain anything to relatives. The person simply disappears. No one “knows” about them in the military commandant’s offices, the prosecutor’s office, the police, or the investigative committee. Sometimes, the local police even opens a “missing person” case.

It is unknown who exactly detained Viktoriia. Sevgil Musayeva recalls that in conversations with the journalist, she mentioned that she was trying to establish the identities of FSB officers involved in the abduction and torture of Ukrainians in Enerhodar.

[...]

“She arrived [in the detention center] already pumped full of some unknown medications,” says another former detainee who was held with Vika in the Taganrog pre-trial detention center. “At some point, she stopped eating. Her cellmates started telling the guards and the prison staff — that she’d stopped eating, that something needed to be done. They didn’t give a damn until her condition got seriously bad.”

[...]

But even in this state [of poor health], she maintained her courage. Yevgeny Markevich, a prisoner of war who was held in a cell next to Roshchyna’s in [the detention center of] Taganrog, heard her talking to the guards.

She told the prison guards right to their faces: “You are occupiers, you came to our country, you are killing our people... I will never cooperate with you!” She was probably saved by the fact that she was a woman. If I had said something like that, they would’ve killed me on the spot.

[...]

Ukrainian prisoners call Taganrog Detention Center No. 2 (SIZO-2), where Viktoriia ended up, hell on Earth. “Even the term ‘concentration camp’ would be too mild for SIZO-2,” said one of the prisoners.

[...]

Archived version

Background

Greece and the EU are considered among the most attractive destinations for foreign investment in the world, attracting billions in investments from non-EU countries each year. While such investments are key to maintaining a strong economy and job market, some investments may pose a risk to the security or public order of EU member states or the EU as a whole. Therefore, most EU member states have adopted national rules to screen foreign direct investments in sensitive areas. Until now, Greece has been an exception, being one of only four EU member states without an operational national Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) screening regime.

Now, a draft law published by the Greek government for consultation on 2 April 2025 seeks to establish a framework for the screening and authorisation of FDI in Greece on grounds of security or public order. Accordingly, investments by foreign investors in sectors identified as sensitive or highly sensitive will need to be notified to the relevant Greek authority prior to their implementation.

Key takeaways

• As part of the EU’s Economic Security Strategy, the European Commission proposed updating the EU’s FDI Screening Regulation, to require that all EU member states adopt national FDI screening regimes
• Greece published its draft national FDI screening framework in April 2025, which will require that foreign investors file for pre-approval for acquisitions of 25% and above in targets active in sensitive sectors (including energy and transport) and 10% and above in targets active in highly sensitive sectors (including defence and cyber-security)
• The current proposal lacks turnover, asset value or transaction value thresholds (except for start-ups) and broadly defines foreign investors in highly sensitive sectors, making legal advice essential prior to any investments in these sectors in Greece
• Once the proposal is implemented, transactions concerned will require diligent preparation at an early stage to avoid delays and proactively manage potential FDI concerns, as well as to identify potential impact on transaction structure
• Parallel filings under merger control rules and the Foreign Subsidies Regulation may also be required, making a coordinated, streamlined and strategic approach essential

Archived

Nuria Zyden came to Ireland in 2009, became a naturalised Irish citizen and has three children who were born in the Republic.

A Uyghur, she grew up in Xinjiang, a majority Muslim province where locals are regarded with extreme suspicion by the Chinese Government.

“As a Uyghur person, growing up we were seen as politically disloyal and culturally disadvantaged,” Ms Zyden told Newstalk Breakfast.

“The State media frequently portrayed Uyghurs as extremists and discrimination in jobs and education left us with limited opportunities.

“After 9/11, the Chinese Government rebranded its repressions as a war on terror, using it as a pretext to expand mass surveillance.”

[...]

Determined to keep her culture alive and speak out against Beijing’s oppression of her people, she helped found the Irish Uyghur Culture Association in 2014.

Like many Uyghurs living outside of China, she soon found that her advocacy had not gone unnoticed by Chinese officials.

“My activism has become a target [with] phone calls from the Chinese Government and all different types of harassment,” she said.

Most disturbingly, she feels they are blackmailing her elderly mother.

“My gentle, 74-year-old mother told me to not come home,” Ms Zyden said.

[...]

“I don’t know what is really happening to her but I guess she has been questioned and probably she was in detention.

“I’m not really sure; she begged me, do not forget about the Chinese Communist Party raising us and wherever we go, we should appreciate [them].”

[...]

Archived

British firms working for the UK’s military or intelligence services are advising staff not to connect their mobile phones to Chinese-made electric cars over fears that Beijing could steal sensitive national security data.

Executives at two of the nation’s leading defence giants have told The i Paper that the entire sector is taking a “cautious” and “belt and braces” approach to the possibility of the Chinese state spying on staff via the country’s electric vehicles (EVs).

The security clampdown within the UK’s highly secretive defence sector follows revelations from The i Paper that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has banned cars relying on Chinese technology from sensitive military sites across the country. In some cases, the MoD has asked staff to park their EVs at least two miles from their workplace.

[...]

The latest disclosure of security worries relating to Chinese EVs could also raise concern among some EV buyers, who are increasingly turning to brands like BYD because of their affordability and longer range.

The role of Chinese companies and equipment in critical infrastructure was brought sharply into focus after the government was recently forced to take control of British Steel from its Chinese owner, Jingye Group, to prevent it from closing blast furnaces at the country’s last virgin steelmaking site.

It is understood that the UK’s leading military production groups, including BAE Systems, Rolls Royce, and Raytheon, as well as US defence giant Lockheed Martin and French defence and cyber security firm Thales, are among those firms that have taken precautions against the potential for Chinese EVs to spy on their staff.

[...]

Archived

[...]

Donald Trump’s order, which will come into effect on May 2, which will end the duty-free status of goods from China and Hong Kong under $800 in the United States, could fundamentally shake the American operations of Chinese e-commerce giants. In response to the shrinking market, companies – led by Shein, Temu and AliExpress – are expected to redirect their unsold stocks to Europe. This could have serious consequences for EU trade, industry and the budget.

[...]

According to current EU regulations, imported small packages under the value threshold of 150 euros are duty-free. The French newspaper L’Express estimates that around 12 million such small packages arrive in the EU every day, worth a total of €4.6 billion a year. The fact that around 65% of packages are deliberately undervalued helps to circumvent customs borders. The trend is already visible in France: according to the CEO of La Poste, one in four packages arriving comes from the Shein or Temu platforms.

[...]

In response to the expected import pressure, the European Commission has set up a monitoring task force to monitor early signs of a Chinese parcel tsunami. Olof Gill, the Commission’s customs spokesman, confirmed that if it is proven that the increasing imports are causing industrial damage, they are ready to introduce protective measures – such as safeguard duties or quotas. The French economy ministry is particularly active in calling for a swift response, stressing that Europe should not bear the consequences of US political decisions.

I am trying to find jobs in Europe (preferably remote) that are open to hiring Americans. I know many companies seek residents and citizens of Europe first, but I know there has to be some companies that are open to seek Americans as well. With horror show going on in the US, I hope there are some European companies that are open to hiring Americans trying to escape it. For context, I am looking for jobs that deal with any of these sectors: customer support, privacy, IT&tech, and arts&humanities. If anyone knows of any companies or job portals that can help Americans find jobs in Europe, that would be greatly appreciated!

• Zurich Airport is struggling with a massive flood of parcels from China that is delaying handling.
• Swiss retailers are calling for stricter rules for foreign online platforms.
• Despite initial measures, new providers such as the TikTok store are threatening to further exacerbate the situation.

Around 100,000 parcels from online retailers such as Temu and Shein arrive at Zurich Airport every day - a sheer volume that is increasingly paralyzing customs clearance.

According to a recent logistics market study, most of these small consignments below the duty-free threshold land directly in Kloten. As a result, the infrastructure is overloaded and freight forwarders are reporting massive delays in the delivery of important goods such as medicines and machine parts.

"Shipments from China are often inadequately declared, which makes handling extremely difficult," criticizes Tom Odermatt from the Spedlogsuisse association to theSonntagszeitungnewspaper. Large customers such as Temu also determine which freight is unloaded first - smaller deliveries fall by the wayside and are sometimes delayed by a week. Some of these shipments include important consignments such as medicines or machine parts, the newspaper writes.

[...]

There were already bottlenecks in the supply of medicines last Christmas due to the flood of parcels. Now experts fear a further escalation: following the introduction of new US tariffs on Chinese goods , even more cheap goods could be diverted to Switzerland. The trend is reinforced by the planned launch of a TikTok store in Switzerland.

The retail trade is sounding the alarm: the Swiss Retail Federation is calling for a "level playing field" for all suppliers. "Temu and Co. do not comply with Swiss safety or environmental standards," says Director Dagmar Jenni. Consumer protection organizations also criticize the aggressive advertising methods of Chinese platforms.

[...]

Archived

In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, Eric Lombard, the French Minister of Economy discussed the rising influx of Chinese low-cost products into France amid Donald Trump’s customs measures. The minister plans to announce new actions within the next ten days.

Is France on the verge of being flooded with Chinese products from Temu and Shein, e-commerce platforms known for their unbeatable prices? This concern looms large in France, especially within the retail sector, following Donald Trump’s announcement of a staggering 145% customs duty on Chinese goods. As a result, China might look towards flooding the European market, particularly France, with these small packages. When asked about this in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche on April 20, Economy Minister Eric Lombard expressed his determination not to stand idly by.

“We must curb this phenomenon,” he firmly stated. For him, the threats posed by these websites are threefold: social, health, and environmental. He elaborated, “These shipments directly compete with our businesses and merchants. Some products do not meet European standards, and the people manufacturing them work under conditions that are not aligned with our values. It’s also an environmental absurdity.”

[...]

The minister also highlighted some staggering statistics: “The volume of goods is enormous: 400 million items were shipped last year. Nearly 800 million are projected this year. […] Just to the European market, that’s 600 jumbo jets taking off each night from China!”

[Edit typo.]

Archived

Poland’s foreign minister ... used an annual address to parliament to send a sharp message to Russian leaders as war continues in neighboring Ukraine, asking: “Don’t you have enough land?”

Foreign Minster Radek Sikorski described the difficult situation Poland faces with the war across the border and the threat of its expansion, and voiced concerns about the “disintegration” of Western unity.

Poland, on NATO’s eastern flank, is one of Kyiv’s strongest supporters, and Sikorski used his speech to strongly criticize Russia.

He said, addressing Russian leaders: “Don’t you have enough land? Eleven time zones and still not enough? Take care of better governing what is within your borders according to international law.”

...

“For Poland, the greatest threat would be the disintegration of the Western community. That is why we cannot afford illusions or inaction. We cannot afford to be alone,” Sikorski said.

He had a warning for Russia. “You will never rule here again, neither in Kyiv, nor in Vilnius, nor in Riga, nor in Tallinn, nor in Chisinau,” he said, listing the capitals of Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Moldova.

...

He also noted that the situation on the front lines in eastern and southern Ukraine is “ambiguous,” and that Russian forces’ slow progress is paid for “with huge losses.”

“After three years of this stage of the war, which Putin planned for three days, Russian troops control only about 20% of Ukrainian territory and are still stuck in eastern Ukraine,” Sikorski said.

“It is estimated that the war has already cost Russia at least $200 billion, and almost a million Russian soldiers have been eliminated from the battlefield. Ukrainian losses are smaller, and they have not allowed either the capture of their capital or the installation of a puppet government.”

In its judgement of 29 April 2025, the European Court of Justice declared that

by establishing and operating an institutionalised citizenship investment scheme, such as the Maltese Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment scheme, [...], which establishes a transactional naturalisation procedure in exchange for predetermined payments or investments and thus amounts to the commercialisation of the grant of the nationality of a Member State and, by extension, that of Union citizenship, the Republic of Malta has failed to fulfil its obligations under Article 20 TFEU and Article 4(3) TEU.

The European Commission has brought Malta to court over what is called the ‘golden passport’ scheme. This scheme usually effectively means anyone can get EU citizenship provided they can afford to pay the price, but requires little physical residency in the country prior to gaining citizenship.

According to the Maltese rules, foreigners are required to purchase property, invest in government-approved financial instruments and make a donation of €10,000 to a registered philanthropic, cultural, scientific, animal welfare or similar NGO or society to gain for citizenship.

The EU has viewed such schemes with increasing scepticism, and the European Parliament has called for their discontinuance, arguing hat the outright sale of EU citizenship undermines the mutual trust upon which the European Union is built. The EU citizenship also grants individuals the right to vote and stand as a candidate in local and EU elections, and to travel visa-free within the bloc and to other countries. Selling such freedoms to a privileged base of a few wealthy individuals bears a host of corruption, money laundering and security risks, as well as risks of tax avoidance. It also has possible negative side-effects, such as distortion of local housing markets, the Parliament said.

Malta must now comply with the judgment without delay and stop the practice, or risk further legal action and potential financial penalties.

Archived

New Zealand will continue its military assistance to Ukraine until at least December 2026, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced this week, with up to 100 NZDF personnel remaining deployed across Europe to support training, intelligence, logistics, and liaison operations.

...

Framed as a show of “unwavering support” for Ukraine, the announcement signals a long-term commitment to a conflict that remains fluid, with ceasefire negotiations reportedly under way.

Of the $152 million committed, $102.3 million has been spent on military training, logistics, and equipment. Only $31.9 million has gone toward humanitarian support, and a further $5.2 million to legal and human rights monitoring

While over 53,000 Ukrainian troops have reportedly been trained through allied efforts, New Zealand’s marginal impact must be weighed against the opportunity cost.

...

Additionally, the United Kingdom government has announced a deal worth £30 million (NZ$66.8 million) for drones produced by New Zealand company SYOS Aerospace.

New Zealand is also expected to announce increased support for the joint Operation Interflex training Ukrainian forces in the UK, extending it until the end of the year. More than 54,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained there to date.

...

Robotics business SYOS manufactures drones at its factory in Hampshire, southeast of London, and they have been deployed to combat zones.

...

Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha will also join a UK carrier strike group leaving Portsmouth for the Indian Ocean.

"As the world becomes an increasingly dangerous place, I am proud how much we are doing together to support our national and economic security - stepping up our defence spending, deploying our navies together in the Indo-Pacific and continuing our work to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia," [UK PM] Keir Starmer said.

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/2599828

...

As some European countries and the United States head towards isolationism, authoritarianism and turn to the East — even flirting with Russia — Canada’s continued Liberal leadership reinforces its position as a key ally for the European Union. Carney’s centrist and pro-EU attitude provides stability and relief for Europeans.

From defence to trade and climate, Canada and the EU share deep economic and strategic ties. With a Liberal government, these connections will strengthen, offering both sides what they need the most: a reliable, like-minded partner at a time of transatlantic unpredictability.

...

Trade remains the foundation of the Canada-EU relationship, and both sides should aim to build on it. At the heart of this partnership is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which has increased EU-Canada trade by 65 per cent since 2017.

...

Beyond trade and energy, defence co-operation between Canada and the EU is expected to surge. A key priority for the new Liberal government is to finally reach NATO’s benchmark of spending two per cent of gross domestic product on defence, a longstanding commitment that has eluded previous administrations.

Archived

In a remarkable example of how times have changed, Japan is expanding its military with NATO.

There was a time when the notion of a militarily assertive Japan would’ve sent shivers through the spines of world leaders. Indeed, the Japanese themselves, mindful of both the suffering that their nation inflicted and then suffered in return during World War II, pursued a pacifistic foreign policy throughout the Cold War and for even much of the post-Cold War era.

What a difference eight decades, and the looming threat of Chinese aggression, make. Nations that once shuddered at the thought of a stronger Japan now welcome it. This can be seen in Japan’s newly bolstered ties with the Philippines as well as multinational partnerships such as “The Quad” (among India, Australia, Japan, and the United States). And now, in a perhaps even more remarkable example of how times have changed, Japan is expanding those military ties beyond the Indo-Pacific over to NATO.

...

“China, North Korea, and Russia are stepping up their military exercises and their cooperation, undermining global stability, and that means what happens in the Euro-Atlantic matters for the Indo-Pacific and vice versa. So our security, I believe, is inseparable,” [NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said].

...

“China is supporting Russia’s efforts. China is building up its armed forces, including its navy, at a rapid pace. We cannot be naïve, and we really have to work together, assess what is happening,” [Rutte said].

...