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Overcapacities, particularly from China, are perceived as a threat to European manufacturers, distorting competition and straining bilateral trade. On the basis of a dynamic definition of ‘industrial overcapacity’, this study identifies overcapacities for most industrial sectors in China. Absorption occurs primarily through inventory accumulation, while six sectors with rising export-to-revenue ratios account for the large increase in China’s exports to the EU. At the same time, case studies of semiconductors ...

This briefing provides background information for the mission of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) to India on 16-20 February 2026. The mission will allow Members to assess the implementation of the EU Gender Action Plan III (GAP III) in India and evaluate how EU external action supports gender equality and women’s empowerment in a key strategic partner country and Indo-Pacific actor. It also offers an opportunity to engage with key national stakeholders, including representatives ...

This at-a-glance provides an overview of the EU carding system established by Regulation 1005/2008 on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The carding system is a key EU tool in combating illegal fishing globally, which has shaped the EU’s fisheries relations with countries considered uncooperative in the fight against IUU fishing.

In February 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae led the Liberal Democrat Party (LDP) to a landslide victory in Japan's general elections. The LDP now holds two thirds of the lower house. This outcome is chiefly due to the popularity of Takaichi, the first-ever female prime minister of Japan. The Takaichi administration is expected to face several challenges, including high inflation, which is eroding the purchasing power of Japanese households, against a backdrop of high government debt and a weak ...

Located in south-east Asia, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a long history of instability, alternating between military rule and unstable civilian governments. The Constitutional Court's decisions have often had an impact on Thai politics. King Vajiralongkorn (crowned as Rama X in May 2019) has been the king of Thailand since December 2016. Anutin Charnvirakul has been the Prime Minister since September 2025. The bicameral National Assembly consists of an elected 500-member House of Representatives ...

Cross-border parental child abductions in the EU are governed by The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and (except for Denmark) the Brussels II-ter Regulation. Countries outside of the EU may or may not be Contracting States to ‘the Convention’, but will not be bound by Brussels II-ter. Research has found that the often negative, long-lasting impact of abduction may continue throughout the lifecycle of those who have been abducted. It may also affect future ...

The 13 overseas countries and territories (OCTs) of the European Union (EU) are islands associated with the EU and constitutionally linked to Denmark (Greenland), France (6 OCTs), and the Netherlands (6 OCTs), on which they depend to varying degrees as non-sovereign countries or territories. OCTs have been associated with the EU since the entry into force in 1958 of the Treaty of Rome. This association is enshrined in Articles 198 to 204 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). Its key ...

In the context of the wars in Ukraine and other parts of the world, the increasingly global effects – material and political – of war make it more important than ever to measure the level of threats to peace, security and democracy around the world. The Normandy Index has presented an annual measurement of these threats since the 2019 Normandy Peace Forum. The results of the 2025 exercise suggest the level of threats to peace is at its highest since the index was launched, confirming declining trends ...

Located in south-east Asia, Indonesia is the world's fourth biggest country by population, but only 33rd among EU (European Union) trading partners, well behind even other countries in the region. Data on trade in services and on foreign direct investment (FDI) also point to untapped potential between the EU and the fifth biggest Asian economy. After almost a decade of negotiations, in September 2025 the EU and Indonesia announced the conclusion of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership ...

This infographic provides insight into the economic performance of China compared with the European Union (EU) and examines the trade dynamics between them. In 2024, China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate was recorded at 5%, while the EU experienced a growth rate of 1.1%. Chinese inflation rates remain stable at 0.2%. The exchange rate of the renminbi-yuan continues to rise, reaching 7.8 units per euro in 2024. Trade in goods and services between the EU and China has remained relatively ...