Von der Leyen - Costa - Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara - Photo © European Union 2026

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council president Antonio Costa discuss a new chapter in bilateral relations with Syria in Damascus with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shaara.

Banana trade Uganda - Image by Beat Roth from Pixabay

The EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) is a trade policy tool that reduces or removes import duties on goods from developing countries, helping European businesses access cheaper raw materials and products while supporting sustainable development abroad.

Sefcovic - Sejourne - Photo © European Union 2025

The EU Commission has set out a proposal to protect the EU steel sector from unfair impacts of global overcapacity, reducing tariff-free import volumes by nearly half and doubling the level of out-of-quota tariffs to 50 per cent.

Trade port cargo - Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Today, National Ministers discussed how to end the use of unjustified territorial supply constraints during the Competitiveness Council. Territorial supply constraints increase prices and limit product choice, meaning some consumers are paying more than others across the EU.