EU leaders opened their summit in the Belgian capital Brussels on Thursday, amid sharp divergences over ways to confront the significant rise in energy prices, mechanisms for financing the bloc's budget, and dealing with the influx of Chinese exports, as Europe faces growing economic and security challenges.
Reuters reported that the leaders of the 27 member states met following an agreement with China aimed at limiting imports of Chinese hybrid cars, a step Brussels seeks to address the worsening goods trade deficit, which reached 360 billion euros in 2025.
Division over the budget
The summit comes amid rising economic pressures on European governments due to rising fuel prices since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East, which exacerbates financial burdens on member states and increases pressure on companies, alongside EU efforts to enhance its defense capabilities and continue supporting Ukraine.
Political and electoral calculations also loom over the summit as important electoral milestones approach in several European countries, notably France, where expectations of a far-right advance raise concerns about the future of European consensus, particularly regarding the financing of the EU budget.
In this context, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz acknowledged the continued divergence in member states' positions regarding the European budget project, amid disagreements between net contributor countries and beneficiary countries, particularly those receiving allocations for agriculture and regional development, which critics argue come at the expense of more urgent priorities to enhance European competitiveness against the United States and China.
The repercussions of the war in the Middle East directly impacted the EU summit in Brussels by placing a package of economic and security challenges on the negotiation table.
The Gulf Cooperation Council announced earlier today the postponement of the summit scheduled with the EU on October 24, due to security escalation and intense attacks launched by the Houthi militia on Saudi Arabia and the region.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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