Quotas may seem appealing to EU politicians under domestic pressure. In reality, however, they are a counterproductive move that will hurt European consumers, damage multilateralism and deliver none of the lasting industrial security Europe claims to seek.

The China-EU trade consensus has meaning beyond a list of commodities, tariffs and various restrictions. Two of the world’s largest trading powers have chosen to engage inside the rules instead of maneuvering outside them. It’s an example that quietly draws a bottom line for global trade.

The future of global trade is unlikely to feature a reformed and revitalized WTO. Instead, we face a fragmented landscape defined by geopolitical blocs and competing regulatory spheres.

Chinese firms have achieved global leadership in industries once assumed to be the preserve of advanced economies: electric vehicles, batteries, industrial robots, solar panels, and AI—to name just a few. The standard explanation for this success is that the Chinese state subsidizes production, an argument that has now been given the institutional weight of a major OECD report.

China’s membership is not a threat. Rather, it is a sustainable framework for the United States to prosper. Both sides could well complement each other and grow together, benefiting our people and the world over.

In 2025, Ukraine gradually changed from a battlefield confrontation to a complex contest centered on cease-fire terms, postwar arrangements and the responsibilities of the world’s major powers. The war in Ukraine did not end in 2025, but a new reality was clearly defined.

The Turnberry System is a way to replace the WTO-based postwar multilateral trading system with bilateral agreements. It marks a significant turning point in global trade rules and will profoundly impact the global trade landscape.

It is highly anticipated that even with a continued mix of tensions and collaboration, 2026 will see more of the positive and less of the negative, thus benefiting the people of both countries and the world at large.

A world order without the United States has been discussed widely. One example relates to reform of the World Trade Organization, whose dispute settlement mechanism has been paralyzed by the U.S. since 2019. Now there could be a solution.

Brussels is retreating from the very multilateral order it once championed. The challenge now is enabling European companies to thrive within a competitive environment. True strategic autonomy will not be achieved through protectionism disguised as regulation.