Trump rejects EU car tariff offer, Panasonic shifts to Amsterdam, and more top news

The news professionals in Europe are talking about now, curated by LinkedIn’s editors. Join the conversation on today's stories in the comments.

President Trump has rejected the EU’s offer to scrap tariffs on cars, reports Bloomberg. Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstr?m had earlier said the EU would be willing to bring down all tariffs — including car tariffs — to zero, if the US was willing to do the same. Trump says the offer is “not good enough”. Last month, the US and the EU agreed to work toward zero tariffs on industrial goods, but cars were not included in the deal. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Panasonic will move its European headquarters to Amsterdam in October. The electronics giant says it had been considering the move from Britain for 15 months due to concerns about potential tax issues related to Brexit. Panasonic joins Heathrow airport’s operator, Airbus and Vodafone in either moving headquarters or assessing a move based on the outcome of Brexit. ? Here’s what people are saying.

France’s postal service La Poste will merge with insurer CNP Assurances through the state-backed Caisse des Dép?ts bank. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire says there is an “absolute necessity” to reinvent La Poste, which has some 260,000 employees — revealing postal services are declining 7% a year and losing €560m each year in revenue. The new state-owned company will offer banking, insurance and postal services, and will have a balance sheet of more than €1tn. ? Here’s what people are saying.

A nonstop flight between London and Sydney is getting closer to reality. Representatives from Airbus and Boeing have met with Qantas chief Alan Joyce to convince him they can make the 20-hour flight viable by 2022. Joyce says the planes could have sleeping areas, bars, childcare facilities, and even gyms to help the 300 or so passengers get through the world’s longest flight in comfort. Qantas is mulling between the Airbus A350 and Boeing’s 777X. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Half of VW models in Germany are not compliant with a new pollution standard. The German carmaker says it has so far only gained regulatory clearance for seven of its 14 main models due to a much tougher emissions testing regime, and that the coming months will be “challenging”. Cars in the EU must comply with the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure by September. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Idea of the Day: Feeling nervous when interviewing for a new job can also be read as a positive, says Hamilton Bradshaw CEO James Caan.

“Don’t worry unduly about showing nerves: they prove you really want the job. A little dash of self-deprecating humour can help relax the mood.?”

What's your take on today’s stories? Share your thoughts in the comments.

— Capucine Yeomans