Microsoft set to face EU competition charges over Teams software on.ft.com/3WESQ8m via Javier Espinoza @financialtimes

Can Europe’s economy ever hope to rival the US again? Chronic underperformance is worrying EU policymakers who are searching for ways to inject some dynamism ft.com/content/93f882… via @ft with Sam Fleming (FT) & Claire Jones

Raiffeisen has been a rogue operator in Russia for too long - oped here from FT deputy editor Patrick Jenkins. The Austrian bank continues to make big profits in the country after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine ft.com/content/1d1252…

Friedrich Merz - the conservative ex-Blackrock executive with a good chance of becoming Germany’s next chancellor. My profile via @ft ft.com/content/4e9d51…

EU fighting to counter China’s influence in global south, says top official ⁦⁦Jutta Urpilainen⁩ via Financial Times
Also calls for EU to delay the Deforestation Law that will bar exports from many developing countries. With ⁦⁦daria mosolova⁩ on.ft.com/4amVlPH

The day Manchester lord mayor’s parlour hosted Vladimir Putin, “the ghastly man in the crimplene suit.” My long read in The Mill today.

'The Biden administration is preparing to raise tariffs on clean-energy goods from China in the coming days, with the levy on Chinese electric vehicles set to roughly quadruple, according to people familiar with the matter.'

wsj.com/economy/trade/…

Chinese and other international competition a ‘defining challenge’ for EU companies via Financial Times
on.ft.com/4dwzGHM

It's cheaper to deter an imperialist enemy than to fight it later.

Pedro Sánchez’s amnesty on the ballot in Catalonia election ft.com/content/9f64c4… via Barney Jopson

Het bezoek van Chinese President Xi aan kandidaat-lid Servië laat zien waarom uitbreiding van de EU om “de invloed van China tegen te gaan” zeer onverstandig is. Daarom wil NSC een pas op de plaats bij uitbreiding. Nog een Trojaans paard uit Beijing in de EU is onwenselijk.

The EU has a super-powerful new anti-subsidy tool to go after mainly Chinese companies in the Single Market.

But it’s likely to annoy EU governments who like the idea of cheap kit, including EVs, for the green transition.

Today’s Trade Secrets column:

on.ft.com/4duip1Z

Another German carmaker against raising tariffs on Chinese electric cars. None of them has called for the abolition of the current 10 per cent. ft.com/content/7441f8… via @ft

Andrew Bounds Ingrida Šimonytė Laura Dubois Financial Times Proud of our Prime Minister.

'If we just thought about the Russian response, then we could not send anything. Every second week you hear that somebody will be nuked.'- spot on.

Lithuania could send soldiers to train Ukrainians says Ingrida Šimonytė as she endorses Macron’s strategic ambiguity. Plus student protests over Gaza Laura Dubois on.ft.com/4btnYf7 via @financialtimes

Ford ready to restrict UK sales of petrol models to hit EV targets on.ft.com/3UulTst

Exclusive breaking news: The Biden administration has revoked export licences that allow Intel and Qualcomm to supply Huawei with semiconductors as Washington increases the pressure on the Chinese telecoms equipment company on.ft.com/3y48n7k

Some intros to articles you have to read twice 🐗

ft.com/content/a997a8… Amy Kazmin

Xi Jinping lashes out at Nato over 1999 Belgrade bombing ahead of Serbia visit ft.com/content/ca536c… via Joe Leahy Marton Dunai

Georgia's de facto leader spent his formative years in Russia but seemed like his own man. With his turn against the EU, Georgians see where his loyalties lie. With Anastasia Stognei in Tbilisi

Georgia’s puppet master turns towards Moscow ft.com/content/07e24d… via @ft