{"id":33065,"date":"2025-07-03T05:04:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-03T05:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/?p=33065"},"modified":"2025-07-03T05:04:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T05:04:00","slug":"denmark-is-sure-eu-will-negotiate-a-good-us-trade-deal-as-deadline-nears","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/?p=33065","title":{"rendered":"Denmark is \u2018sure\u2019 EU will negotiate a \u2018good\u2019 US trade deal as deadline nears"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

This article is an on-site version of our Europe Express newsletter. Premium subscribers can sign up here<\/a> to get the newsletter delivered every weekday and fortnightly on Saturday morning. Standard subscribers can upgrade to Premium here<\/a>, or explore<\/a> all FT newsletters<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Good morning from Aarhus, where European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and her college of commissioners are in town to kick off Denmark\u2019s six-month EU presidency.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a scoop to start: Large European companies including Airbus and BNP Paribas have urged Brussels to halt its landmark AI rules<\/a>, as the EU considers watering down key elements amid pressure from the US.<\/p>\n

Today, I explain Denmark\u2019s stance on trade talks with the US, as pressure mounts to clinch a deal within a week. And our parliament correspondent hears from the man who triggered a no-confidence vote in von der Leyen.<\/p>\n

Doing their best<\/h3>\n

Denmark has praised the European Commission\u2019s strategy for negotiating a tariff deal<\/a> with US President Donald Trump as the deadline to stave off a full blown trade war draws closer.<\/p>\n

Context: Trump has threatened to impose 50 per cent tariffs on goods from the EU, unless both sides can clinch a deal by July 9. While the commission is leading talks for the EU, member states have struggled to display a united front as their economic interests diverge. <\/p>\n

Germany has criticised Brussels\u2019 approach as too \u201ccomplicated\u201d<\/a> and called for a quick deal that would help its industry, while France has asked for an extension to continue haggling and get a better agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009make sure that we actually find good solutions, even though they also take longer to find,\u201d Danish economy minister Stephanie Lose told journalists in Copenhagen yesterday, seemingly joining the French rather than the German camp. <\/p>\n

EU trade commissioner Maro\u0161 \u0160ef\u010dovi\u010d is in Washington today for another round of talks with his US counterparts, after almost three months of negotiations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commission has negotiated and behaved in a very clever way,\u201d Lose said. \u201cI\u2019m very sure that they will also do their very best to find solutions that are in all of the European continent\u2019s interests.\u201d<\/p>\n

Denmark has just taken over the EU\u2019s rotating six-month presidency, and will be responsible for navigating any fallout from the discussions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI definitely don\u2019t think that Europe should be escalating. We should try to find solutions,\u201d Lose said. \u201cOf course, if there are no solutions in sight, we shouldn\u2019t just accept anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

An EU official yesterday said that there would likely only be an agreement in principle on lower tariffs, while negotiations continued past July 9. But even that was not guaranteed, and the EU remained ready to retaliate with tariffs of its own, they added.<\/p>\n

EU ambassadors will meet tomorrow in case there is a deal to endorse. <\/p>\n

Chart du jour: Uneasy<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Some content could not load. Check your internet connection or browser settings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/picture><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Just weeks after European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde hailed<\/a> a \u201cglobal euro\u201d moment, some inside the bank are wondering if the euro\u2019s strength could become too much of a good thing<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Not very confident<\/h3>\n

The man behind an attempt to topple the European Commission<\/a> said he expects it to fail, but promises that commission president Ursula von der Leyen will get a tough grilling from European parliamentarians, writes <\/strong><\/em>Andy Bounds<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Context: Romanian nationalist Gheorghe Piperea last week tabled a motion of no-confidence<\/a>, which was accepted by party leaders yesterday after confirming he had reached the minimum of 72 signatures supporting the move, or 10 per cent of MEPs.<\/p>\n

A parliamentary debate on the motion will take place on Monday, with the vote scheduled for Thursday, according to officials.<\/p>\n

While von der Leyen is likely to survive the vote, Piperea said his main aim was not to bring down the commission \u2014 which last happened in 1999 \u2014 but to hold von der Leyen accountable over the so-called Pfizergate affair.<\/p>\n

The EU\u2019s general court in May ruled against the commission<\/a> over its refusal to share private text messages between von der Leyen and Pfizer\u2019s chief executive Albert Bourla during negotiations to supply Covid-19 vaccines.<\/p>\n

The New York Times had sued the commission over its refusal to reveal the messages exchanged in 2021. The court rejected the commission\u2019s argument that it could not find the texts, forcing it to search again or provide a better explanation for why they cannot be made public.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commission has not yet complied with the court. This is about accountability of government,\u201d said Piperea, of the right-wing nationalist AUR party. \u201cI cannot accept impunity. The president will have to come and answer questions from MEPs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Piperea said three people had removed their names from the motion under political pressure, as the 27-member commission has representatives from five different parties. He declined to publish the remaining names.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis pressure is a scandal. This is democracy in action,\u201d Piperea said.<\/p>\n

What to watch today <\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. \n

    Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen hold a press conference in Aarhus.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    German foreign minister Johann Wadephul hosts Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Berlin.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now read these<\/h2>\n
    \n
    \n

    Recommended newsletters for you <\/h3>\n
    \n

    Free Lunch<\/strong> \u2014 Your guide to the global economic policy debate. Sign up here<\/a><\/p>\n

    The State of Britain<\/strong> \u2014 Peter Foster\u2019s guide to the UK\u2019s economy, trade and investment in a changing world. Sign up here<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
    \n
    \n

    Are you enjoying Europe Express? <\/em>Sign up here<\/em><\/a> to have it delivered straight to your inbox every workday at 7am CET and on Saturdays at noon CET. Do tell us what you think, we love to hear from you: <\/em>europe.express@ft.com<\/em><\/a>. Keep up with the latest European stories <\/em>@FT Europe<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n