US-Germany Pharma Clash: The US has launched a Section 301 trade investigation into Germany’s pricing and reimbursement of innovative medicines, arguing “persistent underpayment” shifts R&D costs onto American patients and could trigger reciprocal tariffs. EU-China Trade Tensions: EU leaders postponed a direct trade confrontation with China, choosing dialogue while tasking the Commission to strengthen trade-defense tools against Chinese export pressure. Volkswagen Restructuring: Volkswagen says it is on track to cut 50,000 jobs by 2030, with 35,000 cuts at the VW brand and further European capacity reductions as profitability lags. Renewables Deal: Amazon signed a 600 MW PPA with Skyborn Renewables for the Gennaker offshore wind farm in Germany’s Baltic Sea, a major corporate clean-power milestone. Circular Materials Push: An EU-backed project aims to scale paper-based bubble wrap (PapairWrap) to cut CO2 versus plastic, with a planned Lower Saxony production plant. Defense Tech Partnership: Vantor and Rheinmetall plan a Germany-based sovereign geospatial intelligence venture combining satellite and sensor data with command-and-control systems. Ukraine-Linked Sanctions Probe: A Turkey-based intermediary shipped about $5m of banned industrial equipment to Russian metallurgical plants tied to missile and aircraft production, according to customs records. Digital Subscriptions: BearingPoint reports German households’ spending on digital subscriptions rose to €62/month, with 19% now paying over €100.