In Colombia’s volatile Catatumbo region, FARC dissidents say they returned to war after a historic peace deal failed to deliver security and social change.
Al Jazeera’s Teresa Bo has exclusive access to the group as it fights rivals for control of territory and lucrative drug trafficking routes.
Published On 30 May 202630 May 2026
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Heavy ship traffic and rising regional tensions fuel fears of a wider confrontation over one of the world’s most critical energy routes. Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi gets exclusive access to report from the Strait of Hormuz.
Published On 16 May 202616 May 2026
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EU lawmakers have reached a provisional deal to make the EU-US trade agreement suspendable in the event of a market disruption caused by a surge in US imports, Euronews has learned from two sources close to the talks.
Intense negotiations have been underway between EU governments and the European Parliament over the implementation of the deal, which would cut EU tariffs on US goods to zero, under pressure from the Trump administration.
The US has suggested it will double tariffs on European cars if an agreement to swiftly implement the deal is not approved by the European Parliament by 4 July
MEPs have been pushing for tougher conditions since the agreement was clinched last summer between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, arguing that it must not become a vehicle for extortion of the EU.
The deal sees tariffs tripling on EU goods entering America, although the duties are not stackable, while US industrial goods are reduced to zero. Members of the European Parliament have been delaying a vote to implement the accord, arguing that it needed to be rebalanced and include clauses to protect the EU’s interests.
In recent days, a provisional compromise was found on a safeguard mechanism allowing the EU to reimpose tariffs on US industrial goods if a surge in imports disrupts the European market. The details of the wording of the clause are still under discussion.
Negotiators also agreed in principle to include a “sunset clause” that would automatically terminate the deal unless renewed. Parliament initially sought an expiry date of March 2028, though the final timeline remains under negotiation, the sources said.
However, talks remain at a standstill over a proposed “sunrise clause” defining when the agreement would begin to apply. The EU Parliament wants the implementation date to start only once Washington complies with the 15% tariff cap, while the Commission opposes the condition and wants it done immediately, one source said.
The sunrise clause was introduced by MEPs after a US Supreme Court ruling in February declared the 2025 US tariffs illegal, prompting Washington to introduce new duties on EU goods that now average above the agreed ceiling, therefore in violation of the deal.
The European Commission is also pushing to remove references to the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument, seen as the EU’s trade bazooka that could curtail US access to the European single market in unprecedented ways.
The Commission is also pushing back against provisions allowing the suspension of the deal if Trump were to threaten the bloc’s territorial integrity again, one of the source said.
Following Trump’s threats earlier this year to target EU countries refusing to support a US acquisition of Greenland, MEPs also added provisions allowing the suspension of the deal in the event of threats to the EU’s territorial integrity.
The Anti-Coercion Instrument is one of the EU’s strongest market defence tools, designed to counter economic pressure from third countries through measures including restrictions on licenses and intellectual property rights. Its use was repeatedly discussed at the height of transatlantic trade tensions last year, but never approved.
EU negotiators are aiming to finalise the agreement by June ahead of a plenary vote in the European Parliament the same month, in time for the 4 July deadline set by Trump.
In an interview with Euronews, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič issued a firm warning that the European Union will not hesitate to defend its industries after Beijing signaled possible retaliation over new EU plans to bolster its industrial base.
China this week up the pressure on Brussels, threatening countermeasures unless the EU softens core elements of its “Made in Europe” proposal—designed to tighten market access for foreign companies—and its Cybersecurity Act, which could ultimately restrict Chinese telecom firms’ presence across the bloc.
Asked about China’s reaction to what the EU describes as much-needed measures to reinforce its sovereignty and restore a level playing field, Šefčovič told Euronews the EU will “always” defend the interests of its companies.
“We will fight tooth and nail for every European job, for every European company, for every open sector, if we see they are treated unfairly,” said Šefčovič in comments to Euronews in an exclusive interview Friday.
Relations between Brussels and Beijing have deteriorated sharply over the past year, with China tightening export controls on rare earths vital to Europe’s clean-tech and defence industries, as well as restricting chips essential to the automotive sector, intensifying pressure on already fragile supply chains across the bloc.
In response, the EU has pushed for legislative proposals in the domain of cybersecurity and single market rules for companies, prompting a sharp reaction from China which has accused the EU of unfair practices. Earlier this week, Beijing said the EU should not underestimate China’s “firm resolve” to safeguard its interests.
Šefčovič rejected the suggestion that recent developments signal a looming trade war but stressed that the EU does not operate under pressure and expects to be treated with respect. “We never threaten our partners, and we certainly don’t do it through the media,” he said. “What we need is strategic patience and a great deal of courage.”
He said a “war” is often easy to start, but difficult to exit. A Chinese official told Euronews Beijing does not wish for a trade spat to escalate, but said China is serious about what it considers discriminatory practices. The EU disputes discrimination.
The EU’s trade chief pointed to a ballooning trade deficit between the two sides as a cause for concern. The bloc’s trade gap with China surged to €359.3 billion in 2025, a level Šefčovič called “simply unsustainable” that does not show signs of improvement.
He also said policymakers, the European parliament and economic actors in the EU have delivered “a very strong economic and political reaction” to tackle the trade deficit.
So far, Brussels has failed to secure meaningful commitments from Beijing to rebalance trade relations. At the same time, EU officials are growing increasingly concerned that Chinese exports—shut out of the US market by higher tariffs—are being redirected towards Europe. Brussels also points to China’s overcapacity as a source of concern.
The EU is now pressing Beijing to enter serious negotiations and deliver concrete results.
“I invited the Chinese foreign minister to visit Brussels because I think we need a very thorough assessment of the current situation,” Šefčovič told Euronews. “What I want is constructive engagement.”
Faced with a surge in low-cost Chinese imports, the EU is relying on trade defence instruments to counter what it sees as dumped and heavily subsidised goods, while also monitoring efforts by Chinese firms to bypass restrictions by shifting production outside China. Šefčovič made clear the EU will not be pushed into retreat from those issues.
“There are very strong industrial policies in China. You have the same in the US, in Canada, in Japan and in Korea. So, nobody should be surprised if the European Union responds in kind—especially when it comes to public money and public funds.”
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A coalition of EU-based chemical producers of titanium dioxide – a strategic chemical used in green energy and aerospace – has lodged a complaint with the Commission alleging unfair foreign subsidies against leading Chinese producer LB Group, which is seeking to acquire a UK plant of British competitor Venator, Euronews has learned.
The move follows the European Commission’s decision in January 2025 to impose anti-dumping duties on LB Group, a trade defence measure targeting low-priced imports into the EU.
Acquiring a production plant in the UK would allow the Chinese group to export its products to the European market duty-free under the EU-UK trade agreement, circumventing EU anti-dumping tariffs.
The EU chemical sector is under pressure from growing competition from Chinese rivals, which are flooding the market with overcapacity.
The alliance behind the complaint against LB Group includes several companies producing in the EU — US-based Tronox and Kronos, Czech Precheza and Slovenian Cinkarna — collectively accounting for about 90% of EU titanium dioxide production.
Sources said the complaint was filed in December 2025, urging the European Commission to investigate the Chinese company over alleged unfair foreign subsidies used to finance the acquisition of Venator’s plant.
The EU’s Foreign Subsidies Regulation, adopted in 2022, allows the Commission to investigate non-EU companies to assess whether they benefit from distortive foreign subsidies to make acquisitions in the EU or take part in public procurement.
The tool was initially designed with China in mind, reflecting concerns over excessive state subsidies support for Chinese companies acquiring strategic EU assets or infrastructure. However, the regulation has not yet been applied outside the EU.
The plant targeted by LB Group is located in Greatham in northeast England, which left the EU in 2020 after Brexit. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is currently reviewing the deal and is expected to issue a decision in May.
If the European Commission opens an investigation under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, it could set a precedent and send a strong signal globally.
The move would come as the EU chemical industry loses market share in Europe.
According to Cefic, which represents the sector in Brussels, the bloc has lost around 9% of its production capacity since 2022, resulting in the loss of 20,000 direct jobs.