Continued part II

Unfair competition

The Chinese government pumps billions into its own industry and keeps China's currency, the yuan, artificially low-rated. This allows Chinese companies to dump their products on the European market for very low prices. "Unfair competition", says Europe. Last month, the heads of state of the 27 EU countries met to discuss how to intervene harder. There is no concrete plan yet.

In October, European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic will go from Trade to China to talk about restoring the balance. If this visit comes to nothing, the European Union should not shy away from strong measures, writes the WRR. "Europe, for example, similar to what Trump does, can introduce tariffs on Chinese products," Sheikh says. "Or develop a system whereby Chinese producers must prove that their products were produced without unfair state support."

The researcher acknowledges that these opinions go against the Dutch tradition of free trade, based on the rules of the World Trade Organization. "But if other big players don't follow those rules, you also have to adjust your own strategy."

Trade war?

Won't China hit back much harder and will Europe be able to cope with that? "The point is right that if we don't intervene now, it's too late. Now China is still dependent on us in some areas. And Europe is still a very important sales market. If we continue to postpone measures, more and more sectors in Europe will disappear. Yes, these types of measures will hurt at first, but we argue that doing nothing is ultimately more painful. Moreover, China itself also has an interest in ensuring that a trade war does not escalate."

The WRR issues this advice to the Dutch government, not to the European Commission. In The Hague, Sheikh sees "no enormous resistance". "The realization is starting to drop that it can go very fast."

But the Netherlands will only want to take such measures if it is organized at European level, Sheikh thinks. "This will call for more European cooperation, but I see movement there too. And European countries must remember that they have great negotiating power."

[Opinion] by China correspondent Laura van Megen

"Understanding is sorely needed. Europe is a plaything in one race to the bottom between China and the US. Europe has to press heavy buttons, because doing nothing is more expensive. China is a bigger problem for our industry than America.

The recommendations such as general import duties for products from China would be bad news for China. But in the short term this is going to hurt us a lot: raw materials, rare earth metals, steel, semi-products and computer chips from China can be put on the export control list and European companies can be cut off from the Chinese market."

EU leaders want to tackle China harder, but do they dare? Brussels wants to save industry with 'made in Europe' Will we soon be less dependent on American tech? If it were up to the EU, yes

..Continued part I.

Europe should not be afraid that China will strike back and damage the European economy. Doing nothing is more risky in the longer term, says WRR scientist Haroon Sheikh. "And the alternative is for our industry to disappear."

( The WRR is an independent body that advises the Dutch government on major long-term social issues. In the report Strategic action: policy for a geopolitical economy the WRR makes recommendations on how Europe can reduce that economic dependence on China and the US ).

The observation that Europe must stand more economically on its own two feet is not new. Two years ago it was much discussed Draghi Report out. In it, Mario Draghi, former CEO of the European Central Bank, wrote that investments in innovation are crucial to compete with China and the US.

Last December, former ASML CEO also advised Peter Wennink the Dutch cabinet to take measures so that companies can innovate more easily.

Trump blocks digital services

The WRR also mentions the innovation gap in the report. That lag is especially visible in the relationship between the EU and the US, says researcher Sheikh. "We see that the US can use that dependency as a weapon against Europe. Look at the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court who is closed from Microsoft Services. And Trump has threatened the most advanced AI models no longer available to Europeans. That's why we need to get our own innovation systems in better order."

But focusing on innovation alone is not enough, according to the WRR. Trade policy must also be overhauled, especially with regard to China. The WRR writes that Chinese products are often more than 30 percent cheaper than European products. "That's not a coincidence, it's a conscious strategy by the Chinese government."

I don't think the problem lies with the EU persé, but more because of internal Tradebarriers existing within Canada, between the Regions, see also this.

The UKs problem atm is the division and political instability. Norway and Iceland are already in a sort of EEA +. So, is Canada actually via the current trade agreement. Though some EU membercountries have yet to ratify CETA, provisionally it's already there.

A greater efficiency with the EU and Canada is to be made by further streamlining intra federation trade, imo. Also, tbh, any new applicant would like to wait for the long awaited EU reforms proposal. I.e. streamlining the barriers and redtape, some documents are due in September, I hear.

TLDR; we must work some stuff out inside our systems too, and that will help us out more in the long run. Apart from that, I do think Canada will enter the EEA, though imo, it practically already has.

When Canada's LNG will start arriving, I hope it will give us some relief as well.

added: but that will take 5 to 7 years as per article 27 August 2025.

needs to call China out.

they have, they just never answer.

If you mean " accountable", then I'm all in; but how?

added. I just found and posted an article on this.

Not looking good at all. According to yesterday's Guardian, negotiations are futile:

"The calamitous collapse of trade negotiations between Canada and the United States is a warning to nations worldwide that pursuing any kind of dialogue with the current US administration is doomed at the outset, according to observers who say this recent episode indicates seeking a fair deal is futile."

Tnx and correct. I just checked and this article is also within the other I linked in red letters at the top. Could be something got updated or so, idk.

Interesting. If I rephrase that I get; registration increased with 800%, while intellectual ability increased (from 44 to 93% iiuc) , in the same 20 year period.

Note: According to the article, Intellectual disability (ID) is defined as having a tested intelligence quotient (IQ) score below 70 (±5), coupled with impaired adaptive functioning.

If I were a conspiracy theorist I would say that the release of the Files were redacted in such a way to topple political adversaries in Europe. I mean that goal is part the Heritage Project 2025.

The Panama papers consisted of 11 millions documents, 214 000 offshore companies, 14.000 customers.. And now 27 are charged, and that's it.

..but that was in 2013, she was still young and naive /s.

Funny, what people are willing to state, as long as they believe it's not about THEM.

From OP's context link: "While Marine Le Pen has just been sentenced for embezzlement of public funds to four years in prison and five years of ineligibility, preventing her from running in 2027, the same Marine Le Pen nevertheless defended, a few years ago, the greatest firmness against convicted elected officials. « When are we going to implement lifetime ineligibility for all those who have been convicted of acts committed during their mandate? » asked Marine Le Pen, on Public Senate, in 2013...

The bot missed what Stoltenberg said:

"The Nato chief, Jens Stoltenberg, has said any attack on the western military alliance would be met with a “united and forceful response”, after Donald Trump invited Russia to attack member countries that he perceived as not meeting their financial obligations.

Stoltenberg said in a statement: “Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk. I expect that regardless of who wins the presidential election, the US will remain a strong and committed Nato ally.”

In case you wanna know whom they were trying to kill; it was Armin Papperger, the head of German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall.

It wasn't only Vermont, but across the US ( Guardian link)

"Protesters took to the streets in New York, Los Angeles and Boston, with hundreds gathering to express support for Ukraine and its president"

The Nazi regime set up its first concentration camp in Dachau in March 1933, barely two months after Hitler’s rise to power.

Check☑️

A very proactieve protestor and spunky woman of the cloth, who seems to have been arrested 27-28 times already. According to this profile publication she claims she "has militant dna, as a maternal ancestor was accused of sedition in the 18th century".

that's $2 billion in sales that Lockheed Martin doesn't get

And that's just the beginning.

Sounds though like a political crusade.

"Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, however, ruled that this trial should not have taken place in Hungary, referring to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (EU) and the associated ban on inhumane treatment.

The court ruled that insufficient checks had been made before T.'s extradition to ensure that the conditions of their detention in Hungary would be humane — especially in light of the fact that Maja T. identifies as non-binary.