Trade ministers seek position on Trump + Russia’s new weapon

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Trade ministers seek common position on Trump

Still far apart on trade issues: Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck and French Trade Minister Sophie Primas.

By

János Allenbach-Ammann

At their meeting, the trade ministers wanted to agree on a joint approach to the Trump administration. They made it clear that the EU has no interest in a trade conflict with the USA. Nevertheless, the discussion remained vague. Things are only likely to get really concrete with the start of the Trump administration. The discussion about the EU’s reaction to Trump could then also drive forward the debate about new free trade agreements.

Diffuse agreement among the member states

Even if the EU wants to celebrate unity, yesterday’s statements by the trade ministers showed that this unity is not yet reflected in concrete planned measures. Before the meeting, the ministers of the Baltic states and Poland emphasized the need to approach the USA and make them an offer, particularly with regard to China policy. The Lithuanian Deputy Minister Simonas Šatūnas, for example, spoke out in favor of purchasing more LNG from the USA.

French Trade Minister Sophie Primas focused more on the strength that the EU must show towards the USA. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said that no one could have an interest in a trade conflict with the USA, “but it would also be wrong to throw ourselves into the dust”.

Commission to establish contacts in the Trump administration

As several EU diplomats confirmed, the discussion between the trade ministers did not become much more concrete behind closed doors. The Commission should approach the USA and seek a negotiated solution, but also be prepared to respond to new tariffs, according to the tenor. “Ultimately, however, this will be an issue for the heads of state and government,” an EU diplomat told Table.Briefings. The issue is too politically sensitive to be brought forward decisively at ministerial level.

The discussion will probably only become concrete once Trump is in office and he makes the first decisions. Until then, it is now up to the Commission to get to know the members of the future Trump administration and establish a good basis for discussion, according to an EU diplomat. However, hardly anyone doubts that Trump will take tariff measures very soon after taking office.

Italy tipping the Mercosur scales

The discussion on the free trade agreement with the Mercosur states is also proving difficult. Not all member states have yet positioned themselves. However, diplomatic circles assume that the agreement could be concluded in purely mathematical terms. France has not yet managed to organize a blocking minority against the agreement.

Italy is likely to tip the scales. Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida spoke out against the Mercosur agreement in its current version at the beginning of the week. However, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani qualified this statement. Italy is fundamentally in favor of the agreement, but there are still “open points” that need to be addressed.

Due to the highly political nature of the Mercosur agreement, the decision in the Council will probably also be taken by the heads of state and government. Some EU diplomats expressed the hope that the Trump tariffs will help the EU to finally get controversial free trade agreements such as the one with Mercosur over the finish line. Perhaps the economic emergency of a trade conflict is needed to generate enough political pressure for the Mercosur agreement.

Climate conference before the endgame: Which strategies are being debated

By

Bernhard Pötter

On its official penultimate day, the COP29 on Thursday was simultaneously characterized by paralyzing stagnation and hectic activity. New draft texts from the presidency in the morning mainly formulated the well-known contradictions and led to sharp rejection by many parties. There was hardly any sign of the Presidency’s signature.

There was little sign of solutions to the key issues of finance and emissions reduction throughout the day. However, there was also information on progress on the financial target and pledges for ambitious NDCs from a number of countries – this could promote a deal. And the big question is: Is there a presidential strategy behind it?

Weak texts, bitter dispute in plenary

In the texts submitted so far, the Azerbaijani Presidency has mainly presented the opposing positions. This means that the proposals are still so far apart that the ministers who are now negotiating still have too many options. For example, there are still no figures for the controversial financial target in the NCQG text. “There is no compromise proposal” to build a bridge between the ideas of the individual states, said Rob Moore, Deputy Director of E3G.

The other texts are also still a long way from agreement. The topic of emissions reduction is even presented in such a way that it led to a bitter dispute in plenary.

EU representatives described the proposals as “unbalanced and unacceptable“. The AOSIS group of island states complained that there was still a long way to go to achieve greater balance and ambition. Bolivia, on the other hand, accused the developed countries of hypocrisy. They should increase funding instead of insisting on reduction targets in developing countries. India criticized other countries for wanting to talk more about mitigation. This was a distraction from its own responsibility for providing financial resources. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who returned to COP29, warned: “This is a COP to ensure justice in the face of the climate catastrophe. Failure is not an option”.

A script for the presidency?

The crucial question is whether all of this is possibly following a presidential script. It could play out like last year in Dubai: After the consultations, the presidency presents texts that merely summarize the opinions of the countries – and which are unacceptable to all sides and provoke great resistance. After a day of turmoil, the presidency then comes to the rescue with a prepared compromise paper – that would be on Friday morning. Rumors suggest that there was already a compromise proposal on finances on Wednesday evening, but that the presidency did not accept it.

There are two arguments in favor of such a strategy by the COP29 leaders: it worked at COP28. And Azerbaijan also stuck to the Dubai script at the start of the conference when it opened the conference with a small success in the negotiations on trade issues under Article 6.4. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also evoked memories of Dubai: She was combative when it came to the EU’s goals on mitigation and “broadening the donor base” for a financial solution.

Baerbock invokes grand coalition of Dubai

“We will not allow the text from Dubai to be watered down,” said Baerbock. She recalled the “grand coalition of Dubai”. Back then, around 140 countries pushed through the progress of the goals in the Global Stocktake (GST) – with the support of the UAE Presidency and against Saudi Arabia, which also acted as a major brake on progress in Baku. It is possible that this would also be like a year ago: a deal that isolates Saudi Arabia.

The debate on mitigation could also fit into this pattern: After all, as compensation for financial commitments made by industrialized countries to the financial target, the final document could grant progress in the debate on mitigation. This could contribute to the urgently needed “balance” of a deal that everyone criticizes, but still finds something in it for themselves.

Breakthrough by the EU and China?

However, there are also tactical signs of cooperation. For example, there are apparently signs of movement between the EU, the island states and China on the issue of the financial target. China knows that there has to be a solution here, they say. There is even said to be progress in the hotly contested debate over who should contribute to the “quantum”. “We see informal talks between the EU and China that could bring a breakthrough on the most critical issues,” says Linda Kalcher, Executive Director of the think tank Strategic Perspectives.

Both sides are working on an option to expand the donor base, say several observers. As soon as there is certainty that the industrialized countries will continue to bear the main responsibility for climate financing, “China could also have its contributions presented as climate financing. This could potentially also include contributions to the budget of development banks,” says Kalcher. An important key to China’s contribution would be more transparency about climate financing, which China is already providing today. China is sending signals that it would be willing to be more transparent.

EU leads initiative for ambitious NDCs

The EU, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Norway, the UK, Brazil, Switzerland and Georgia also called for more ambition yesterday. In their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), they promised to move away from fossil fuels. They announced that they would extend their targets to all economic sectors and greenhouse gases and bring them into line with the respective climate neutrality targets. All countries should follow these principles in their next NDCs, explained EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra.

However, with the exception of the UK and Brazil, none of these countries have yet presented their NDC for 2035. The EU will also not present its NDC before the deadline in February 2025, as the member states must first adopt the climate target for 2040, from which the 2035 target will subsequently emerge. Nevertheless, observers see the EU’s participation in the NDC initiative as a positive signal from the EU.

Russia’s new weapon: What Moscow wants to achieve with the Oreshnik medium-range missile

Six strikes, each with six dummy warheads without explosive charges: With the use of a new type of missile against the Ukrainian manufacturer of rocket parts and buses, Yuzhmash, in the city of Dnipro, Russia is once again showing its willingness to escalate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the attack with a new medium-range missile on Thursday evening and threatened further strikes. In a video address, he named the system Oreshnik (Hazelnut). It operates at a hypersonic speed of Mach 10 and cannot be intercepted, the Kremlin leader said. “That is out of the question.” There were no nuclear explosive charges, Putin said.

Experts see the use of several warheads in particular as an indication that the missile could also be equipped with nuclear weapons. In the evening, a Pentagon spokeswoman announced that the new, experimental missile was based on the RS-26 intercontinental ballistic missile model and that the USA had been informed about the launch of the missile at short notice. Washington had also informed Kyiv. When asked about reactions from the USA, the spokesperson emphasized that the United States wanted to concentrate on continuing to support Ukraine.

It is the first time that a missile designed for nuclear warheads has been used in a war. Frank Sauer, a political scientist at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, interpreted the attack in an interview with Table.Media before Putin’s speech as an “elaborate way of saying that they have weapons that can reach European cities and would use them“. It is a warning and psychological warfare, as well as a political signal to the West, Sauer told Table.Media.

Pressure on the West to stop aid to Kyiv

The missile was launched from the Kapustin Yar military base near Astrakhan. This is around 780 kilometers from the target as the crow flies. According to Ukrainian media, the flight took around five minutes. The fact that the missile was used now of all times is not only a response to the release of Western long-range weapons against targets in Russia, but also an attempt to influence political election campaigns in the West, such as the upcoming German parliamentary elections. Moscow wants to stir up fear and ensure that Kyiv gives in to its demands because Western aid is not forthcoming.

Putin claimed on Thursday evening that with the deployment of Western long-range weapons against military objects on Russian territory, “the regional conflict in Ukraine provoked by the West has taken on a global character”. At the same time, he described the new system as Moscow’s response to the USA’s plans to deploy medium-range missiles in Europe and the Pacific. At the end of his speech, Putin emphasized that Russia was ready for “any development” of the situation. vf

Commission prepares measures against Russian imports

The EU Commission is working on measures against imports of agricultural products from Russia. This proposal is in line with a decision by the EU heads of state and government, said EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels. The measures may also be directed against fertilizers, Dombrovskis added, without giving details.

He emphasized that the Commission would leave no stone unturned to exert further pressure on Russia. “In this context, I also welcome the call by some Member States to impose tariffs on the widest possible range of Russian and Belarusian imports.” Sweden had made the demand together with other EU countries.

In October, the EU heads of state and government reaffirmed their willingness to further restrict Russia’s ability to wage war. Additional tariffs on agricultural products from Russia and Belarus are mentioned as a concrete measure in their resolution. dpa

Paluckas is the new head of government in Lithuania

Lithuania has a new head of government. President Gitanas Nausėda appointed the Social Democrat Gintautas Paluckas as the new Prime Minister of the Baltic country. The 45-year-old deputy party leader of the former opposition force had previously been confirmed by the parliament in Vilnius. Paluckas, who was nominated by the head of state on Tuesday as a candidate to head the government, was voted in by 88 MPs with 36 votes against and 6 abstentions. The previous head of government was Ingrida Šimonytė from the conservative Fatherland Union.

Following his appointment, Paluckas now has 15 days to form a new government in accordance with the presidential decree, the members of which must be formally confirmed by Nausėda. Paluckas must then submit his cabinet and government program to a further vote in parliament.

In a controversial move – and contrary to announcements made by the Social Democrats before the election – Paluckas included Nemunas’ populist Dawn party in the government, whose leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis is on trial for alleged anti-Semitic comments. This caused a lot of criticism – also in Germany.

President Nausėda had therefore announced that he would not appoint any members of the party as ministers in the next government, in which the Democratic Union for Lithuania is also involved as a partner. In Lithuania, ministers are appointed and dismissed by the president at the suggestion of the head of government. Paluckas therefore met with Nausėda again before his appointment to discuss the candidates for the cabinet posts.

Critics wanted to protest against the inclusion of Nemunas’ Dawn Party in the government at another rally in the evening. Together, the three-party alliance has 86 of the 141 seats in parliament. dpa

No agreement on EUDR: what happens now

In the dispute over whether the EU regulation for deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR) should only be postponed or whether its content should also be changed, the EU Parliament and Council failed to reach a compromise on Thursday. The next round of negotiations is currently scheduled for Dec. 3, 2024. If it ends with an agreement, the law on postponement could be passed just before the originally scheduled start of application on Dec. 30. If this is not successful, the new rules would already take effect then – something neither the Council nor Parliament wants.

According to well-informed circles, the member states and the EU Commission – which is involved in the negotiations but does not have to agree to a deal – had pushed for the mere postponement of one year. In return, they reportedly offered political commitments to consider the Parliament’s demands as part of the implementation and a future review of the directive, which is planned anyway. Rapporteur Christine Schneider (EPP) was clearly not satisfied with this. She accused the Council of “completely refusing to engage in any substantive negotiations”. There was now time until the beginning of December to “find a sensible solution”.

Large majority in the Council against change

However, it seems very unlikely that the Council will agree to incorporate the Parliament’s amendments into the text. Numerous EU countries have major reservations about Parliament’s demand to introduce an additional category for producer countries “without deforestation risk” with significantly relaxed requirements. For example, that such a regulation would not be WTO-compliant, that loopholes would be created that would impair the effectiveness of the regulation or that there was not enough time to prepare the amendment in a legally secure manner.

The Permanent Representatives of the Member States voted almost unanimously on Wednesday to leave it at a mere postponement. In Parliament, a majority from the EPP, the right-wing parties and some liberals are behind the requested change, while sharp criticism comes from the Social Democrats and the Greens. jd

ECJ Advocate General: Old diesel cars must pass new test procedures

Advocate General Athanasios Rantos proposes to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) a strict interpretation of emissions regulations for older diesel vehicles. In his opinion on a case brought by two buyers of Mercedes-Benz diesel cars before the Duisburg Regional Court, he argues for the following line: a vehicle that at the time only had to undergo test procedures on the test bench (“New European Driving Cycle“, NEDC) must also comply with the pollutant limits in real test operation on the road.

The Real Driving Emissions (RDE) measurement procedure was developed in 2016. It has been in force throughout the EU since 2017. A corresponding ruling would mean that vehicles in emission classes Euro V and earlier that were built before 2016 would have to pass the RDE test.

Operating license at risk

The ECJ’s ruling is expected at the beginning of 2025. If the court agrees with this view, it could have serious consequences for around 200 million older diesel vehicles in the EU, including the loss of their operating license. This case only concerns two diesel cars from the Stuttgart-based manufacturer. However, as with all ECJ rulings, it would apply to all similar cases. Diesel cars built before 2016 by all manufacturers would be affected.

Depending on the standards applied by the authorities and how they evaluate software updates that have been carried out in the meantime, the decommissioning of older diesel vehicles in the three-digit million range could be expected in the most far-reaching case. mgr

Northvolt applies for creditor protection in the USA

The ailing Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has applied for creditor protection under US law. The company announced this on Thursday. The reorganization proceedings under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code protect Northvolt from the access of its creditors for a certain period of time and thus facilitate the financial restart. The battery manufacturer is currently in urgent need of money and has been working with its investors for several weeks on a rescue package. The Swedish government recently declared that it does not wish to acquire any shares in Northvolt.

Northvolt has never made a profit and is struggling with quality problems and delays. In June, BMW therefore withdrew an order worth two billion euros. Due to declining orders and problems with ramping up production, the Group had recently massively scaled back its expansion plans, laid off thousands of employees and sold subsidiaries.

The largest shareholder in Northvolt is Volkswagen, with the US investment bank Goldman Sachs and BMW also among the owners.

Gigafactory in Heide ‘not part of Chapter 11 proceedings’

It is not yet clear what the proceedings will mean for the construction of the Northvolt gigafactory in Heide, Schleswig-Holstein. The company said this evening that the German subsidiary will be financed independently of the parent company. “It is not part of the Chapter 11 proceedings.”

Head of Germany Christofer Haux said: “Meanwhile, construction work is continuing in Dithmarschen. The site enjoys top priority.” However, it is already clear that the factory will start work later than initially planned. Cell assembly is not scheduled to start until the second half of 2027 instead of the end of 2026.

At the beginning of the year, the EU Commission approved funding and guarantees for the project in Heide amounting to €902 million. The federal government and the state of Schleswig-Holstein are supporting the construction of the battery factory with around €700 million. There are also possible guarantees for a further €202 million.

The battery manufacturer pointed out that construction in northern Germany is on schedule as agreed with the federal and state governments. “No subsidies have been utilized to date, and Northvolt Germany will continue not to call on any funds as long as the restructuring of the parent company continues. “dpa/rtr

Szijjártó’s propaganda stage

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó used the press conference following the meeting of trade ministers to share his government’s view of the world. He expressly praised the future US President Donald Trump.

Péter Szijjártó speaks fluent English, but the Hungarian Foreign Minister preferred to hold the press conference following yesterday’s meeting of trade ministers in his native language. This was probably also due to the fact that the appearance was aimed more at the domestic audience than the assembled journalists in Brussels.

In any case, Szijjártó did not speak in the capacity in which he was actually standing in front of the camera: as President-in-Office of the Council. He did not waste any time summarizing the ministers’ discussion in the Council, as is usually the case in this role. Instead, he reeled off his government’s view, which hardly corresponds to the opinion of the member states: the sanctions against Russia were “bad policy” and “failed”; in Donald Trump, the Americans had elected a president “who stands on the side of peace and patriotic economic policy”. Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis felt compelled to quickly contradict this: “The sanctions are working.”

The show continued when it was the journalists’ turn to ask questions. Szijjártó’s spokeswoman gave the second question to a journalist from Hungarian television, who promptly served the minister a courtesy question. When the spokesperson announced that the remaining questions would be bundled due to a lack of time, several journalists left the room in protest. The press conferences after ministerial councils may often be dull. But there is one thing they are not: a stage for crude propaganda. Till Hoppe

EUROPE.TABLE EDITORIAL OFFICE

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Dear reader,

At Europe.Table, our mission is to keep you informed with expert insights and in-depth reporting on European affairs. But to ensure we deliver the content you value most, we need your help!

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Julia Mertens

Trade ministers seek common position on Trump

By

János Allenbach-Ammann

At their meeting, the trade ministers wanted to agree on a joint approach to the Trump administration. They made it clear that the EU has no interest in a trade conflict with the USA. Nevertheless, the discussion remained vague. Things are only likely to get really concrete with the start of the Trump administration. The discussion about the EU’s reaction to Trump could then also drive forward the debate about new free trade agreements.

Diffuse agreement among the member states

Even if the EU wants to celebrate unity, yesterday’s statements by the trade ministers showed that this unity is not yet reflected in concrete planned measures. Before the meeting, the ministers of the Baltic states and Poland emphasized the need to approach the USA and make them an offer, particularly with regard to China policy. The Lithuanian Deputy Minister Simonas Šatūnas, for example, spoke out in favor of purchasing more LNG from the USA.

French Trade Minister Sophie Primas focused more on the strength that the EU must show towards the USA. Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck said that no one could have an interest in a trade conflict with the USA, “but it would also be wrong to throw ourselves into the dust”.

Commission to establish contacts in the Trump administration

As several EU diplomats confirmed, the discussion between the trade ministers did not become much more concrete behind closed doors. The Commission should approach the USA and seek a negotiated solution, but also be prepared to respond to new tariffs, according to the tenor. “Ultimately, however, this will be an issue for the heads of state and government,” an EU diplomat told Table.Briefings. The issue is too politically sensitive to be brought forward decisively at ministerial level.

The discussion will probably only become concrete once Trump is in office and he makes the first decisions. Until then, it is now up to the Commission to get to know the members of the future Trump administration and establish a good basis for discussion, according to an EU diplomat. However, hardly anyone doubts that Trump will take tariff measures very soon after taking office.

Italy tipping the Mercosur scales

The discussion on the free trade agreement with the Mercosur states is also proving difficult. Not all member states have yet positioned themselves. However, diplomatic circles assume that the agreement could be concluded in purely mathematical terms. France has not yet managed to organize a blocking minority against the agreement.

Italy is likely to tip the scales. Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida spoke out against the Mercosur agreement in its current version at the beginning of the week. However, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani qualified this statement. Italy is fundamentally in favor of the agreement, but there are still “open points” that need to be addressed.

Due to the highly political nature of the Mercosur agreement, the decision in the Council will probably also be taken by the heads of state and government. Some EU diplomats expressed the hope that the Trump tariffs will help the EU to finally get controversial free trade agreements such as the one with Mercosur over the finish line. Perhaps the economic emergency of a trade conflict is needed to generate enough political pressure for the Mercosur agreement.

Climate conference before the endgame: Which strategies are being debated

By

Bernhard Pötter

On its official penultimate day, the COP29 on Thursday was simultaneously characterized by paralyzing stagnation and hectic activity. New draft texts from the presidency in the morning mainly formulated the well-known contradictions and led to sharp rejection by many parties. There was hardly any sign of the Presidency’s signature.

There was little sign of solutions to the key issues of finance and emissions reduction throughout the day. However, there was also information on progress on the financial target and pledges for ambitious NDCs from a number of countries – this could promote a deal. And the big question is: Is there a presidential strategy behind it?

Weak texts, bitter dispute in plenary

In the texts submitted so far, the Azerbaijani Presidency has mainly presented the opposing positions. This means that the proposals are still so far apart that the ministers who are now negotiating still have too many options. For example, there are still no figures for the controversial financial target in the NCQG text. “There is no compromise proposal” to build a bridge between the ideas of the individual states, said Rob Moore, Deputy Director of E3G.

The other texts are also still a long way from agreement. The topic of emissions reduction is even presented in such a way that it led to a bitter dispute in plenary.

EU representatives described the proposals as “unbalanced and unacceptable“. The AOSIS group of island states complained that there was still a long way to go to achieve greater balance and ambition. Bolivia, on the other hand, accused the developed countries of hypocrisy. They should increase funding instead of insisting on reduction targets in developing countries. India criticized other countries for wanting to talk more about mitigation. This was a distraction from its own responsibility for providing financial resources. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who returned to COP29, warned: “This is a COP to ensure justice in the face of the climate catastrophe. Failure is not an option”.

A script for the presidency?

The crucial question is whether all of this is possibly following a presidential script. It could play out like last year in Dubai: After the consultations, the presidency presents texts that merely summarize the opinions of the countries – and which are unacceptable to all sides and provoke great resistance. After a day of turmoil, the presidency then comes to the rescue with a prepared compromise paper – that would be on Friday morning. Rumors suggest that there was already a compromise proposal on finances on Wednesday evening, but that the presidency did not accept it.

There are two arguments in favor of such a strategy by the COP29 leaders: it worked at COP28. And Azerbaijan also stuck to the Dubai script at the start of the conference when it opened the conference with a small success in the negotiations on trade issues under Article 6.4. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also evoked memories of Dubai: She was combative when it came to the EU’s goals on mitigation and “broadening the donor base” for a financial solution.

Baerbock invokes grand coalition of Dubai

“We will not allow the text from Dubai to be watered down,” said Baerbock. She recalled the “grand coalition of Dubai”. Back then, around 140 countries pushed through the progress of the goals in the Global Stocktake (GST) – with the support of the UAE Presidency and against Saudi Arabia, which also acted as a major brake on progress in Baku. It is possible that this would also be like a year ago: a deal that isolates Saudi Arabia.

The debate on mitigation could also fit into this pattern: After all, as compensation for financial commitments made by industrialized countries to the financial target, the final document could grant progress in the debate on mitigation. This could contribute to the urgently needed “balance” of a deal that everyone criticizes, but still finds something in it for themselves.

Breakthrough by the EU and China?

However, there are also tactical signs of cooperation. For example, there are apparently signs of movement between the EU, the island states and China on the issue of the financial target. China knows that there has to be a solution here, they say. There is even said to be progress in the hotly contested debate over who should contribute to the “quantum”. “We see informal talks between the EU and China that could bring a breakthrough on the most critical issues,” says Linda Kalcher, Executive Director of the think tank Strategic Perspectives.

Both sides are working on an option to expand the donor base, say several observers. As soon as there is certainty that the industrialized countries will continue to bear the main responsibility for climate financing, “China could also have its contributions presented as climate financing. This could potentially also include contributions to the budget of development banks,” says Kalcher. An important key to China’s contribution would be more transparency about climate financing, which China is already providing today. China is sending signals that it would be willing to be more transparent.

EU leads initiative for ambitious NDCs

The EU, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Norway, the UK, Brazil, Switzerland and Georgia also called for more ambition yesterday. In their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), they promised to move away from fossil fuels. They announced that they would extend their targets to all economic sectors and greenhouse gases and bring them into line with the respective climate neutrality targets. All countries should follow these principles in their next NDCs, explained EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra.

However, with the exception of the UK and Brazil, none of these countries have yet presented their NDC for 2035. The EU will also not present its NDC before the deadline in February 2025, as the member states must first adopt the climate target for 2040, from which the 2035 target will subsequently emerge. Nevertheless, observers see the EU’s participation in the NDC initiative as a positive signal from the EU.

Russia’s new weapon: What Moscow wants to achieve with the Oreshnik medium-range missile

Six strikes, each with six dummy warheads without explosive charges: With the use of a new type of missile against the Ukrainian manufacturer of rocket parts and buses, Yuzhmash, in the city of Dnipro, Russia is once again showing its willingness to escalate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed the attack with a new medium-range missile on Thursday evening and threatened further strikes. In a video address, he named the system Oreshnik (Hazelnut). It operates at a hypersonic speed of Mach 10 and cannot be intercepted, the Kremlin leader said. “That is out of the question.” There were no nuclear explosive charges, Putin said.

Experts see the use of several warheads in particular as an indication that the missile could also be equipped with nuclear weapons. In the evening, a Pentagon spokeswoman announced that the new, experimental missile was based on the RS-26 intercontinental ballistic missile model and that the USA had been informed about the launch of the missile at short notice. Washington had also informed Kyiv. When asked about reactions from the USA, the spokesperson emphasized that the United States wanted to concentrate on continuing to support Ukraine.

It is the first time that a missile designed for nuclear warheads has been used in a war. Frank Sauer, a political scientist at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, interpreted the attack in an interview with Table.Media before Putin’s speech as an “elaborate way of saying that they have weapons that can reach European cities and would use them“. It is a warning and psychological warfare, as well as a political signal to the West, Sauer told Table.Media.

Pressure on the West to stop aid to Kyiv

The missile was launched from the Kapustin Yar military base near Astrakhan. This is around 780 kilometers from the target as the crow flies. According to Ukrainian media, the flight took around five minutes. The fact that the missile was used now of all times is not only a response to the release of Western long-range weapons against targets in Russia, but also an attempt to influence political election campaigns in the West, such as the upcoming German parliamentary elections. Moscow wants to stir up fear and ensure that Kyiv gives in to its demands because Western aid is not forthcoming.

Putin claimed on Thursday evening that with the deployment of Western long-range weapons against military objects on Russian territory, “the regional conflict in Ukraine provoked by the West has taken on a global character”. At the same time, he described the new system as Moscow’s response to the USA’s plans to deploy medium-range missiles in Europe and the Pacific. At the end of his speech, Putin emphasized that Russia was ready for “any development” of the situation. vf

Commission prepares measures against Russian imports

The EU Commission is working on measures against imports of agricultural products from Russia. This proposal is in line with a decision by the EU heads of state and government, said EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Brussels. The measures may also be directed against fertilizers, Dombrovskis added, without giving details.

He emphasized that the Commission would leave no stone unturned to exert further pressure on Russia. “In this context, I also welcome the call by some Member States to impose tariffs on the widest possible range of Russian and Belarusian imports.” Sweden had made the demand together with other EU countries.

In October, the EU heads of state and government reaffirmed their willingness to further restrict Russia’s ability to wage war. Additional tariffs on agricultural products from Russia and Belarus are mentioned as a concrete measure in their resolution. dpa

Paluckas is the new head of government in Lithuania

Lithuania has a new head of government. President Gitanas Nausėda appointed the Social Democrat Gintautas Paluckas as the new Prime Minister of the Baltic country. The 45-year-old deputy party leader of the former opposition force had previously been confirmed by the parliament in Vilnius. Paluckas, who was nominated by the head of state on Tuesday as a candidate to head the government, was voted in by 88 MPs with 36 votes against and 6 abstentions. The previous head of government was Ingrida Šimonytė from the conservative Fatherland Union.

Following his appointment, Paluckas now has 15 days to form a new government in accordance with the presidential decree, the members of which must be formally confirmed by Nausėda. Paluckas must then submit his cabinet and government program to a further vote in parliament.

In a controversial move – and contrary to announcements made by the Social Democrats before the election – Paluckas included Nemunas’ populist Dawn party in the government, whose leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis is on trial for alleged anti-Semitic comments. This caused a lot of criticism – also in Germany.

President Nausėda had therefore announced that he would not appoint any members of the party as ministers in the next government, in which the Democratic Union for Lithuania is also involved as a partner. In Lithuania, ministers are appointed and dismissed by the president at the suggestion of the head of government. Paluckas therefore met with Nausėda again before his appointment to discuss the candidates for the cabinet posts.

Critics wanted to protest against the inclusion of Nemunas’ Dawn Party in the government at another rally in the evening. Together, the three-party alliance has 86 of the 141 seats in parliament. dpa

No agreement on EUDR: what happens now

In the dispute over whether the EU regulation for deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR) should only be postponed or whether its content should also be changed, the EU Parliament and Council failed to reach a compromise on Thursday. The next round of negotiations is currently scheduled for Dec. 3, 2024. If it ends with an agreement, the law on postponement could be passed just before the originally scheduled start of application on Dec. 30. If this is not successful, the new rules would already take effect then – something neither the Council nor Parliament wants.

According to well-informed circles, the member states and the EU Commission – which is involved in the negotiations but does not have to agree to a deal – had pushed for the mere postponement of one year. In return, they reportedly offered political commitments to consider the Parliament’s demands as part of the implementation and a future review of the directive, which is planned anyway. Rapporteur Christine Schneider (EPP) was clearly not satisfied with this. She accused the Council of “completely refusing to engage in any substantive negotiations”. There was now time until the beginning of December to “find a sensible solution”.

Large majority in the Council against change

However, it seems very unlikely that the Council will agree to incorporate the Parliament’s amendments into the text. Numerous EU countries have major reservations about Parliament’s demand to introduce an additional category for producer countries “without deforestation risk” with significantly relaxed requirements. For example, that such a regulation would not be WTO-compliant, that loopholes would be created that would impair the effectiveness of the regulation or that there was not enough time to prepare the amendment in a legally secure manner.

The Permanent Representatives of the Member States voted almost unanimously on Wednesday to leave it at a mere postponement. In Parliament, a majority from the EPP, the right-wing parties and some liberals are behind the requested change, while sharp criticism comes from the Social Democrats and the Greens. jd

ECJ Advocate General: Old diesel cars must pass new test procedures

Advocate General Athanasios Rantos proposes to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) a strict interpretation of emissions regulations for older diesel vehicles. In his opinion on a case brought by two buyers of Mercedes-Benz diesel cars before the Duisburg Regional Court, he argues for the following line: a vehicle that at the time only had to undergo test procedures on the test bench (“New European Driving Cycle“, NEDC) must also comply with the pollutant limits in real test operation on the road.

The Real Driving Emissions (RDE) measurement procedure was developed in 2016. It has been in force throughout the EU since 2017. A corresponding ruling would mean that vehicles in emission classes Euro V and earlier that were built before 2016 would have to pass the RDE test.

Operating license at risk

The ECJ’s ruling is expected at the beginning of 2025. If the court agrees with this view, it could have serious consequences for around 200 million older diesel vehicles in the EU, including the loss of their operating license. This case only concerns two diesel cars from the Stuttgart-based manufacturer. However, as with all ECJ rulings, it would apply to all similar cases. Diesel cars built before 2016 by all manufacturers would be affected.

Depending on the standards applied by the authorities and how they evaluate software updates that have been carried out in the meantime, the decommissioning of older diesel vehicles in the three-digit million range could be expected in the most far-reaching case. mgr

Northvolt applies for creditor protection in the USA

The ailing Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt has applied for creditor protection under US law. The company announced this on Thursday. The reorganization proceedings under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code protect Northvolt from the access of its creditors for a certain period of time and thus facilitate the financial restart. The battery manufacturer is currently in urgent need of money and has been working with its investors for several weeks on a rescue package. The Swedish government recently declared that it does not wish to acquire any shares in Northvolt.

Northvolt has never made a profit and is struggling with quality problems and delays. In June, BMW therefore withdrew an order worth two billion euros. Due to declining orders and problems with ramping up production, the Group had recently massively scaled back its expansion plans, laid off thousands of employees and sold subsidiaries.

The largest shareholder in Northvolt is Volkswagen, with the US investment bank Goldman Sachs and BMW also among the owners.

Gigafactory in Heide ‘not part of Chapter 11 proceedings’

It is not yet clear what the proceedings will mean for the construction of the Northvolt gigafactory in Heide, Schleswig-Holstein. The company said this evening that the German subsidiary will be financed independently of the parent company. “It is not part of the Chapter 11 proceedings.”

Head of Germany Christofer Haux said: “Meanwhile, construction work is continuing in Dithmarschen. The site enjoys top priority.” However, it is already clear that the factory will start work later than initially planned. Cell assembly is not scheduled to start until the second half of 2027 instead of the end of 2026.

At the beginning of the year, the EU Commission approved funding and guarantees for the project in Heide amounting to €902 million. The federal government and the state of Schleswig-Holstein are supporting the construction of the battery factory with around €700 million. There are also possible guarantees for a further €202 million.

The battery manufacturer pointed out that construction in northern Germany is on schedule as agreed with the federal and state governments. “No subsidies have been utilized to date, and Northvolt Germany will continue not to call on any funds as long as the restructuring of the parent company continues. “dpa/rtr

Szijjártó’s propaganda stage

Péter Szijjártó speaks fluent English, but the Hungarian Foreign Minister preferred to hold the press conference following yesterday’s meeting of trade ministers in his native language. This was probably also due to the fact that the appearance was aimed more at the domestic audience than the assembled journalists in Brussels.

In any case, Szijjártó did not speak in the capacity in which he was actually standing in front of the camera: as President-in-Office of the Council. He did not waste any time summarizing the ministers’ discussion in the Council, as is usually the case in this role. Instead, he reeled off his government’s view, which hardly corresponds to the opinion of the member states: the sanctions against Russia were “bad policy” and “failed”; in Donald Trump, the Americans had elected a president “who stands on the side of peace and patriotic economic policy”. Commission Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis felt compelled to quickly contradict this: “The sanctions are working.”

The show continued when it was the journalists’ turn to ask questions. Szijjártó’s spokeswoman gave the second question to a journalist from Hungarian television, who promptly served the minister a courtesy question. When the spokesperson announced that the remaining questions would be bundled due to a lack of time, several journalists left the room in protest. The press conferences after ministerial councils may often be dull. But there is one thing they are not: a stage for crude propaganda. Till Hoppe

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Trade ministers seek position on Trump + Russia&#8217;s new weapon

Feature

Trade ministers seek common position on Trump

Diffuse agreement among the member states

Commission to establish contacts in the Trump administration

Italy tipping the Mercosur scales

Climate conference before the endgame: Which strategies are being debated

Weak texts, bitter dispute in plenary

A script for the presidency?

Baerbock invokes grand coalition of Dubai

Breakthrough by the EU and China?

EU leads initiative for ambitious NDCs

EU-Monitoring

News

Russia’s new weapon: What Moscow wants to achieve with the Oreshnik medium-range missile

Pressure on the West to stop aid to Kyiv

Commission prepares measures against Russian imports

Paluckas is the new head of government in Lithuania

Social Democrats bring populists into government

No agreement on EUDR: what happens now

Large majority in the Council against change

ECJ Advocate General: Old diesel cars must pass new test procedures

Operating license at risk

Northvolt applies for creditor protection in the USA

Gigafactory in Heide ‘not part of Chapter 11 proceedings’

Dessert

Szijjártó’s propaganda stage

Europe.Table Editorial Team

EUROPE.TABLE EDITORIAL OFFICE

Feature

Trade ministers seek common position on Trump

Diffuse agreement among the member states

Commission to establish contacts in the Trump administration

Italy tipping the Mercosur scales

Climate conference before the endgame: Which strategies are being debated

Weak texts, bitter dispute in plenary

A script for the presidency?

Baerbock invokes grand coalition of Dubai

Breakthrough by the EU and China?

EU leads initiative for ambitious NDCs

EU-Monitoring

News

Russia’s new weapon: What Moscow wants to achieve with the Oreshnik medium-range missile

Pressure on the West to stop aid to Kyiv

Commission prepares measures against Russian imports

Paluckas is the new head of government in Lithuania

Social Democrats bring populists into government

No agreement on EUDR: what happens now

Large majority in the Council against change

ECJ Advocate General: Old diesel cars must pass new test procedures

Operating license at risk

Northvolt applies for creditor protection in the USA

Gigafactory in Heide ‘not part of Chapter 11 proceedings’

Dessert

Szijjártó’s propaganda stage

Europe.Table Editorial Team

EUROPE.TABLE EDITORIAL OFFICE

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