European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed using closer cooperation with Pacific rim countries as a foundation to redesign the World Trade Organization (WTO), citing rising trade tensions and global fragmentation.
Speaking after an EU summit on Thursday, Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union and Pacific countries share a strong interest in structured trade cooperation, which could help revive the struggling WTO.
"The Asian countries want to have a structured cooperation with the European Union and the European Union wants the same," she told reporters. "Therefore, I said that we can think about this as a beginning of redesigning the WTO."
She added that such efforts would "show to the world that free trade with a large number of countries is possible."
Von der Leyen pointed to ongoing cooperation with members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes Australia, Canada, Chile, Singapore and others, as a potential model for wider global trade reform.
The WTO has faced growing challenges amid a wave of U.S. tariffs under President Donald Trump and increasing geopolitical rifts that have stalled consensus on trade rules.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know....
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and th...
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally...
Armenia's parliament has passed a new law raising the requirements for citizens living abroad to vote in national elections, following concerns over a...
Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said, as Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy i...
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
Armenia's parliament has passed a new law raising the requirements for citizens living abroad to vote in national elections, following concerns over alleged efforts to influence last month's parliamentary vote through Armenian citizens residing in Russia.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
International politicians and religious leaders have paid respects to Iran's late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei throughout the day, ahead of his six day funeral ceremony which begins on Saturday. His casket is currently on display at the Iman Khomeini Grand Mosalla in Tehran.
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious procession in north-eastern Thailand, police said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated U.S. President Donald Trump on the 250th anniversary of American independence, saying Russia and the United States share a special responsibility for maintaining global security as the world's two largest nuclear powers.
China said on Saturday it had launched a coast guard patrol east of Taiwan, prompting a strong protest from Taipei, which accused Beijing of illegally expanding its authority and undermining regional stability.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 4 July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Russian attacks killed at least six people across three Ukrainian regions on Friday, regional officials said, as Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure continued to add pressure to fuel supplies inside Russia.
World Athletics has reaffirmed its decision to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes excluded from international competition, saying there has been no meaningful progress towards peace in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment