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Trump: Time to negotiate 'very seriously' with EU on trade

President Donald Trump said the time has come to pursue trade negotiations with the European Union which he said imposes "incredible" barriers to US goods.
"Europe has been treating us very badly," Trump said at a White House event with US state governors.
After reaching a series of trade deals with Canada, Mexico and Japan, and a phase-one agreement with China, Trump said, "The next thing could be Europe, where we talk to them very seriously."
Relations between the two major economies have lingered for months in a tense truce.
Trump has imposed punishing tariffs on EU goods like French wine in disputes over steel imports, government subsidies for Airbus, and a tax on digital giants like Google and Amazon.
But so far he has held off on threatened punitive duties on European cars aimed at forcing a change in trade policy. Trump reached a ceasefire with the EU in mid-2018, when the sides agreed to pursue negotiations -- talks that have not yet resulted in anything concrete.
Trump said he focused first on the dispute with China and renegotiating the continental free trade pact with Canada and Mexico because he "didn't want to do the whole world at one time."
- 'Ready for a deal' -
But Monday he renewed his complaints about EU trade policy, even claiming improbably that the economic bloc "was really formed so they could treat us badly."
"They have barriers that are incredible," Trump said, adding, "They're ready for a deal."
Trump has focused on reducing the US trade deficit with the EU which amounted to $178 billion last year, excluding services, where American firms have an advantage.
While Washington and Brussels have agreed to pursue an ambitious deal to remove trade barriers and reduce tariffs, no details have emerged from the few meetings. And a major sticking point remains, since the EU has not agreed to include agricultural goods.
EU leaders were surprised last month when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced following a meeting with Trump that she was expecting to sign an agreement "in a few weeks."
She said the deal would be a "new approach" from a previous attempt towards a transatlantic trade deal announced in 2017.
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan made a surprise visit to Washington last week to meet his US counterpart Robert Lighthizer, which followed another meeting last month.
An EU spokesman said the meetings "are part of the regular bilateral contacts" between the EU and the US "for a positive bilateral transatlantic trade agenda," without providing further details.
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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