Frankfurt/Brussels, 7 October 2026 – Commenting on the negotiations between Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao, VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann says:

• “EU Trade Commissioner Šefčovič must secure concrete concessions in the negotiations with Wang Wentao: China must be persuaded through negotiations to end the unfair trade practices it has been engaging in for years, such as high subsidies and an artificially low currency.”

Europe leads global concerns about the use of AI algorithms in hiring processes

It’s the annual ‘September surge’ in job-hunting and recruitment activity and ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) has highlighted concerns around the use of AI in finance and accountancy recruitment, which emerged as one of the headline findings in this year’s annual Global Talent Trends Survey.

Two-day event on 15–16 October will focus on talent attraction, development and retention, with the Women in Digital Index 2026 and Women in Digital Forum recommendations presented in Dublin.

Brussels, 16 September 2026 – Commenting on the State of the Union address by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann says:

Frankfurt, 14 September 2026 – Commenting on the vote in the European Parliament’s plenary session on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann says:

• “With the planned extension of the CBAM, the EU is going well beyond its original objective and sending out the wrong signal at a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty and international trade disputes. The European Parliament should reject the extension in plenary.”