Germany, the EU’s leading car exporter, is expected to be hardest hit by the tariffs. Car shipments to the US were worth €25.2 billion in 2024, followed by Italy (€3.4 billion) and Slovakia (€3.1 billion)
The EU had initially set a deadline of June 30, 2023, for all 27 Member States to submit their plans detailing how they intend to contribute to the European Union’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030
The panels, a hallmark of participative democracy in the Union, will focus on the theme “A new European budget fit for our ambitions” and are set to convene in Brussels between March 28-30 and May 16-18, 2025
To fund the increased defence spending, Van Peteghem confirmed the possibility of selling state assets, a measure that Defence Minister Theo Francken of the N-VA has advocated to finance a dedicated defence fund
The initiative, which was outlined in an interview with RTL, will begin with an invitation campaign in November 2025, where 120,000 young Belgians will receive letters encouraging them to enlist in voluntary service
