#germany-brazil-relations

#germany-brazil-relations

The level of economic cooperation between South Korea and India is still very low. Going forward, we will expand that space and make the relationship between South Korea and India completely different from what it is now.

"Companies are considerably more pessimistic about the coming months. They also assessed their current situation as worse," Ifo president Clemens Fuest said.

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The European Commission will "proceed with [the] provisional application" of the Mercosur trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, the commission's chief Ursula von der Leyen announced on Friday. The deal was signed in January after over 25 years of negotiations, despite opposition from some European farmers.

It is a decision that I regret, French agriculture minister Annie Genevard told reporters at the Salon de l'Agriculture following EU chief Ursula von der Leyen's announcement. It is not in line with the respect that should have been shown for the European Parliament's decision. She denounced the provisional application as very damaging to the functioning of our institutions and, above all, to the spirit of our European institutions.

She had intended to speak about the flashpoints in international politics, Greenland and Ukraine, and US President Donald Trump, but the journalists present kept returning to the issue of the Mercosur agreement and how her party scuppered its ratification. Mercosur, the EU's major trade deal with the four South American countries of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, was meant to be a sign of hope in a world of increasing nationalism a boost to trade based on rules, not punitive tariffs.

We have very specific concerns regarding our cooperation, which we want to improve and make fair, said Merz, in an acknowledgement of the strain faced by Germany's manufacturing sector from Chinese competition.

Meeting in Munich over the weekend, officials on both sides said they wanted to continue to work together. In the world of geopolitics all eyes were on Southern Germany over the weekend where the Munich Security Conference (MSC) served as the latest make or break moment for Germany-US relations. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered the event's opening speech in which he acknowledged that a rift has opened up with the US, and urged trans-Atlantic partners to repair and revive trust.

Friedrich Merz said he saw a "great opportunity" for the industrial exporters, while Xi Jinping called for "enhanced strategic cooperation." China has been courting Western leaders amid Trump's trade tensions. It's Merz's first trip to China since he became chancellor, his predecessor Olaf Scholz visited in 2024.

We want to achieve stability and predictability in trade relations. A united stance within the European Union is important in this regard. Businesses need planning security, and that applies on both sides of the Atlantic. We therefore expect clarity from the US government on the next steps.

After nearly two decades of negotiations, India and the European Union announced Tuesday they have reached a free trade agreement to deepen economic and strategic ties. The accord, which the EU chief described as the "mother of all deals," could affect as many as 2 billion people. The deal between two of the world's biggest markets comes as Washington targets both India and the EU with steep import tariffs, disrupting established trade flows and pushing major economies to seek alternate partnerships.

The deal would forge a market of two billion people and nearly a quarter of global GDP, according to the European Commission. Follow DW for more. EU and India conclude trade negotiations after nearly two decades of on-off negotiationsImage: Altaf Hussain/REUTERS Skip next section What you need to know EU and India have finalized a trade deal after nearly two decades of negotiations