Germany’s Merz says EU to shape better offer as global trade order comes under pressure

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ?said ?on Friday that the European Union will take the lead in shaping a better offer ?when free trade and the rules-based trading order come under pressure. “We want to offer opportunities beyond bilateral agreements,” Merz told the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business ?in Seoul. Germany was willing to act with like-minded partners in Europe and ?elsewhere to defend and further develop the rules-based global economic order, Merz said. He said that many countries owed their prosperity to international trade and were unwilling to ?give it ?up. Merz, on ?a week-long Asia tour that has also…