Bernd Lange warns China + Nuclear debate + Russian grain • Europe.Table

Interview with Bernd Lange: ‘Then there will be no more cooperation’
IW warns of growing dependence on China
Guterres: facilitate export of Russian food
Habeck rejects longer nuclear power plant lifetimes
Brussels approves energy subsidies
Macron: deprivation is the ‘price of freedom’
Mitsotakis: historic day for Greece
Isabelle Buscke – the voice of the consumer

Dear reader,

Russia invades Ukraine, China threatens Taiwan – these are dangerous times. But geopolitical tensions have breathed new life into trade policy: Many of Bernd Lange‘s colleagues in the European Parliament, who previously drifted along in the trade-critical mainstream, now appreciate stable relations. The long-time chairman of the Trade Committee expects a whole series of new deals in the coming months, as he revealed to Amelie Richter and me in an interview.

The SPD politician also warns Beijing not to act on its threats against Taiwan, or else there would be far-reaching EU sanctions, regardless of economic damage to Germany and Europe. The local industry has apparently not yet realized how great the risks are: According to the Institute of the German Economy, it continues to invest in China at record levels. The consequences of a conflict over Taiwan could “even lead to bankruptcy” for particularly exposed companies, as the economists warn. More on this in the News.

The debate about high gas prices is likely to cut a few more capers, and we consider FDP Vice Chairman Wolfgang Kubicki’s call to open the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline one of them. The discussion about the operating lifetimes of the remaining nuclear power plants is nevertheless hitting the home stretch: Chancellor Scholz expects the results of the network operators’ stress test at the end of August, or beginning of September. Meanwhile, the forced ramp-up of coal-fired power plants has a side effect: The prices of certificates in European emissions trading are reaching old highs – much to the chagrin of the affected industries.

I wish you a great start to the week!

Your
Till Hoppe

Feature

Bernd Lange: ‘Then there will be no more cooperation’

Porträtfoto von Bernd Lange, er sitzt für die SPD im EU-Parlament und leitet den Leiter den Ausschuss für internationalen Handel. — Bernd Lange (SPD) chairs the Committee on International Trade in the European Parliament.

The chairman of the trade committee in the European Parliament warns China of the consequences of an attack on Taiwan. However, the geopolitical tensions situation gave trade policy new momentum, says the SPD politician in an interview with Amelie Richter and Till Hoppe. He expects several new deals.

Mr. Lange, the EU has always emphasized that it does not want to side with Washington in the trade dispute between the United States and China. Can this be sustained, given Russia’s attack on Ukraine and Beijing’s threats against Taiwan?

We are not caught in the middle, we are clearly linked to the USA in terms of values. But we have different interests. The position of holding China down by all economic means and thus economically securing the supremacy of the United States is certainly not in our interest. We cannot succeed in isolating China politically or economically. Where we can cooperate and exert influence, we should do so. The time of a bipolar world is over. That is why we are also having these discussions with our American friends.

You were recently in Washington – what was your impression?

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