Foxconn, which manufactures iPhones for Apple, apologized to workers for the payment system error that sparked protests at its Chinese factory. The company stated that there was a data entry error in the system and that “the amount we agreed with the fee is the same as the official employment contract.”
The Taiwanese company stated that workers’ wishes to resign and leave the factory will be respected, and compensation will be paid.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic warned that a proposed 30% US tariff on European goods would effectively amount to a trade ban, severely disrupting transatlantic supply chains.
Speaking ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, Sefcovic expressed disappointment over a letter from US President Donald Trump that halted expected trade progress. “We were close to an agreement,” he said, but now “must prepare for all outcomes.”
The EU has delayed retaliatory measures on $72 billion worth of US goods until August 1, hoping for a negotiated resolution. Sefcovic emphasized that “no one wants a trade war,” while France urged faster preparation for countermeasures and Hungary blamed the EU Commission’s weak response to US pressure.
Danish and Lithuanian ministers echoed calls to avoid escalation but emphasized EU readiness to defend its interests.
TR