Amid President Trump's imposition of sweeping tariffs, including a 104% duty on Chinese goods and increased levies on exports from the European Union, the EU leadership, led by Ursula von der Leyen, urged caution to avoid further escalation of the global trade conflict.

In response to President Trump's recently imposed high tariffs on various countries, including a 20% tariff on EU imports, the European Union is set to vote on its own retaliatory tariffs. This move is seen as an effort to counteract what is viewed as an authoritarian economic policy by the US administration.

The European Union has firmly rejected Russia's demand to lift sanctions, maintaining that the sanctions will remain in place until Russia withdraws its troops from all Ukrainian territories. The decision was communicated by European Commission Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper, emphasizing the EU's commitment to maximize pressure on Russia through all available tools.

The European Commission has introduced the European Media Freedom Act, a new regulatory framework aimed at protecting media pluralism and ensuring editorial independence across EU member states. Key provisions include safeguarding journalistic sources, enhancing transparency in media ownership, and limiting undue influence on both public and private media. A new independent board is set to begin operations in February 2025 to oversee these reforms.

On November 19, 2024, the EU Council adopted a regulation that prohibits the placement, availability, export, and sale of products made with forced labour in the Union market. This action establishes a legal framework to support the investigation and removal of such products, reinforcing the union's commitment to ethical labor practices and protecting workers' rights.

On April 24, 2024, the European Parliament approved a new due diligence directive that mandates firms and their partners to prevent, mitigate, or end adverse impacts on human rights and the environment, including issues like slavery, child labour, and labour exploitation. The directive, which is set to be formally endorsed by the Council and implemented in phases, represents a significant step towards responsible business conduct and sustainable economic growth in Europe.

The European Union has adopted a groundbreaking regulation that bans products made with forced labour from its single market. The measure empowers member state authorities and the European Commission to investigate supply chains and intercept non-compliant shipments, marking a significant step in protecting worker rights and promoting ethical supply practices.

The EU released its 2023 General Report detailing significant actions including over €88 billion in financial, humanitarian, and military assistance for Ukraine, increased humanitarian support for Palestinians, measures to boost economic recovery, digital regulatory reforms including a comprehensive AI law, and initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on Russian fossil fuels through market reforms.

EU institutions agreed on a draft forced labor law on March 5, 2024, aimed at banning imports and exports linked to forced labor. The measure is designed to protect workers and counter forced labor practices in global supply chains—particularly those tied to authoritarian regimes such as in Xinjiang, China. EU governments are scheduled to vote on the law on March 13, 2024.

EU negotiators reached a provisional agreement on the Artificial Intelligence Act aimed at safeguarding fundamental rights, democracy, and the rule of law by regulating high-risk AI applications. The agreement includes bans on biometric categorisation, unconsented facial data scraping, emotion recognition in sensitive contexts, and social scoring, while also establishing strict safeguards for law enforcement use and providing support measures for SMEs.

On November 9, 2023, Members of the European Parliament adopted a set of recommendations urging the EU to actively support citizens living under authoritarian regimes. The resolution calls for enhanced efforts to ensure that genuine electoral participation is safeguarded and emphasizes the need to counter the misuse of information and communication technologies in manipulating elections.

A draft recommendation from the European Parliament outlines a series of measures aimed at reinforcing the right to participate in free and fair elections. The document stresses the need for robust actions against fake election observation, disinformation, and other tactics used by illiberal and authoritarian regimes to manipulate electoral outcomes.

The EU published its first compilation of national export control lists on October 20, 2023, enabling Member States to impose authorization requirements on exports of sensitive dual-use technologies. This measure, part of the EU's Dual-Use Regulation framework, strengthens collective security and economic oversight.

The European Commission has instructed EU Member States to accelerate the implementation of online censorship measures under the Digital Services Act, mandating the removal of content deemed illegal. The directive, justified by recent terrorist attacks and aimed at platforms such as X and Facebook, calls for an early appointment of state-level authorities and the setup of an incident response mechanism ahead of the February 2024 deadline.

The European Union has adopted a draft regulation aimed at banning the import, export, and sale of products manufactured using forced labour. The new framework will reverse the burden of proof in high‑risk cases and enforce strict supply chain measures, ensuring that companies must demonstrate they are free from forced labour practices in order to access the EU market.

On October 16, 2023, the EU adopted a draft regulation to ban the import, export, and re-entry into the internal market of goods produced with forced labour. The framework reverses the burden of proof in high‐risk cases and requires companies to remedy cases of labour abuse, with the aim of protecting workers and ensuring fair market practices.

The European Union announced it will examine bloc-wide export controls on sensitive technology as part of efforts to de-risk its relationships with China and other authoritarian regimes, signaling a proactive stance to prevent technology from bolstering authoritarian powers.

EU lawmakers have warned against moves to dilute stringent AI regulations, expressing concerns that weakening these rules could lead to dangerous outcomes in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence.

The EU's Digital Services Act, set to take effect on August 25, mandates that very large online platforms comply with new regulations including rapid removal of illegal content, a ban on dark patterns, and enhanced user appeal rights. While the legislation is promoted as a means to protect citizens and reduce manipulative online practices, critics caution that its censorship powers could risk authoritarian overreach.

An investigative report details how the EU has actively supported violent and authoritarian regimes in North Africa by forging strategic partnerships, providing significant funding, and enhancing border security measures. The report highlights that EU efforts with Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia have bolstered repressive practices in these regions, leading to severe human rights implications.

The Liberties Media Freedom Report 2023, released on April 24, 2023, details a steady decline in media freedom and pluralism across 18 EU member states. The report highlights increasing concentration of media ownership, rising physical and verbal attacks on journalists (often by police), and abusive lawsuits (SLAPPs) which restrict free speech. It strongly recommends that the EU Commission adopt robust measures—including the proposed European Media Freedom Act, a stringent anti‐SLAPP Directive, and infringement proceedings against non‐compliant states—to counter these harmful trends. The report implies that current EU regulatory and political frameworks are insufficient in upholding media diversity and democratic accountability.

The EU has initiated measures to address transnational repression as evidenced by its February 2023 conclusions and subsequent parliamentary calls in March 2023. This initiative includes addressing threats posed by the use of spyware, aiming to protect nationals against actions by authoritarian regimes.

The European Parliament has advanced a comprehensive resolution aimed at countering foreign interference and disinformation campaigns within the EU. The document calls for strengthened legislative and regulatory measures, enhanced oversight of technology platforms, and tighter scrutiny of foreign investments in critical infrastructure to safeguard democratic processes and promote transparency.

The EU Council has adopted a regulation prohibiting the import and sale of products made with forced labour on the EU market. This decision, backed by recommendations from human rights organizations, trade unions, and civil society groups, aims to protect migrant workers and eradicate exploitative labour practices from global supply chains.

The European Union is actively countering judicial reforms in Poland and Hungary that threaten the supremacy of EU law and democratic principles. EU officials are considering measures including legal challenges, financial sanctions, and the Article 7 process to uphold the integrity of the union.

The EU announced new due diligence guidance designed to help companies identify, prevent, and mitigate the risks of forced labour in their supply chains. The guidance outlines practical steps aligned with international standards to promote responsible business conduct and eradicate forced labour practices.

The European Union is set to update its export rules to restrict surveillance software exports to authoritarian regimes such as China and Russia. The new regulations will establish a comprehensive list of controlled technologies and impose increased due diligence obligations on companies to ensure that their goods are not used to violate human rights.