Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and five European counterparts agreed on a set of goals on Friday to tighten asylum rules in the bloc, including allowing deportations to Afghanistan and Syria as standard practice.

European Union member states approved the launch of negotiations with six Gulf countries as the bloc seeks to broaden its international partnerships amid tariff threats from President Donald Trump.

Context: The European Commission on Tuesday unveiled its plans for the bloc’s 2028-2034 budget, including a so-called Global Europe fund worth €200bn. It would merge different funding strands for countries outside the EU, including humanitarian aid and development finance, as well as money to support countries who are candidates to join the bloc.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has unveiled a proposal for a long-term EU budget that she says will total $2.3 trillion.

Crafting a budget for 27 countries stretching from Lapland to Lisbon is a fiddly process. In fiscal terms the “multi-annual financial framework”, as it is known in Brussels patois, is of peripheral concern.

The European Union has warned that its trade with the United States could be effectively wiped out if Washington makes good on its threat to slap a 30% tariff on goods imported from the bloc.

The European Commission set out guidelines on Friday to help AI models it has determined have systemic risks and face tougher obligations to mitigate potential threats comply with European Union artificial intelligence regulation (AI Act).

The company won’t adhere to the voluntary code of practice as its head of global affairs said the bloc was on the wrong path on AI.