Trump is right. Europe is getting its act together – CNNMoney
President Trump thinks so, telling the Financial Times in an interview on Monday that, since the U.K. voted for Brexit, the "European Union is getting their act together."
"It just seems to be that there is a different spirit for holding together," Trump said. "I don't think they had that spirit when they were fighting with the U.K. and [the] U.K. ultimately decided to go out. ... I actually think it is going to be a great deal for [the] U.K., and I think it is going to be really, really good also for the European Union."
EU leaders are standing firm in the face of Brexit. And the economic outlook for the eurozone is brighter. Economic numbers released Monday suggest things are looking up for a region that has struggled to create jobs and generate momentum since the global financial crisis.
The unemployment rate across the countries that share the euro currency fell to 9.5% in February, its lowest level since May 2009. Analysts said rising business confidence was part of the reason.
A survey of about 3,000 manufacturing firms published at the same time shows factory output and orders rose last month at the fastest rate since April 2011.
"Eurozone manufacturing is clearly enjoying a sweet spell as we move into spring, but it is also suffering growing pains in the form of supply delays and rising costs," said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit.
Related: Trump's anti-EU rhetoric could actually help Europe
Europe faces a series of big political tests this year, and good news on the economy could determine whether the EU survives the Brexit shock of losing a member for the first time in its 60-year history.
Trump hailed Brexit as an example of people taking back control from political, business and media elites. And he has offered Prime Minister Theresa May talks on a bilateral trade deal that could be vital to Britain's future outside the EU.
But the president appears to have revised his earlier view that the EU would splinter as other countries chose to follow Britain through the exit door. His attacks may have contributed to that greater sense of unity -- analysts say it gives mainstream politicians a rallying cry.
Related: 5 huge obstacles to an amicable Brexit
Big test looms in France
EU leaders last week unveiled a draft set of tough principles for negotiating Britain's exit.
And Dutch voters rejected the far-right populism of nationalist Geert Wilders in an election in March. Still, the stakes will be much higher later this month when France holds elections. Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen has promised a referendum on France's EU membership if she wins the presidency.
"We are at the mercy of a currency adapted to Germany and not to our economy," Le Pen told a rally of her supporters on Sunday, according to Reuters. "The euro is mostly a knife stuck in our ribs to make us go where others want us to go."
There was positive news for France in March's manufacturing survey: New orders increased at the fastest pace in nearly six years.
The jobs numbers were less encouraging. French unemployment remained at 10%, with nearly three million people looking for work.
The eurozone has created nearly 3.9 million jobs since unemployment peaked at 19.3 million in April 2013. But more than 15 million people are still unemployed, and youth unemployment continues to plague several countries, including Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece. Youth unemployment in Greece and Spain is still above 40%.
CNNMoney (London) First published April 3, 2017: 10:24 AM ET
Read more:
Trump is right. Europe is getting its act together - CNNMoney
- Serbia on a Sharpening Geopolitical Edge Between Russia and the European Union - Clingendael - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- European Union to send observer to Trumps Board of Peace meeting - Washington Times - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- European Union's Metal Flexible Tubing Market Forecast to Expand at 1.5% CAGR Through 2035 - IndexBox - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- European Union's Rigid Polymer Tubes and Pipes Market Forecast Shows Sluggish Volume Growth at 0.1% CAGR Amid Stronger Value Increase - IndexBox - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Council of European Union to formally adopt 90bn Ukraine loan package on 24 February - - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- European Union's Centrifuge Market Set to Reach 262K Units and $3.9B in Value by 2035 - IndexBox - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- European Union's Non-Malleable Cast Iron Market Poised for Steady Growth With 1.7% CAGR in Value - IndexBox - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- Hungarian PM Viktor Orban has long been at loggerheads with the European Union on a number of issues - IslanderNews.com - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- 19th meeting of the Stabilisation and Association Committee between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia - Enlargement and Eastern... - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- ARMENIA - EUROPEAN UNION The Armenian alphabet in Strasbourg, an act of diplomacy and identity - AsiaNews - February 16th, 2026 [February 16th, 2026]
- European Union's not Roasted Malt Market Set for Steady Growth to 8.1 Million Tons and $5.5 Billion - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Joint statement on upgrading relations between the European Union and Viet Nam to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership - consilium.europa.eu - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Salted and Smoked Meat Market Set to Reach 3M Tons and $20.6B by 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Non-Alloy Steel H-Sections Market to Reach 3.7M Tons and $3.3B by 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Pneumatic and Hydraulic Hand Tool Market to Reach 18M Units and $3B by 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Benzene, Toluene and Xylenes Market Poised for Growth With 3.1% CAGR in Value - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Plastic Tubes and Pipes Market Set for Growth to $5.3B and 623K Tons by 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- The European Union sanctions 15 officials and 6 organizations in Iran over brutal crackdown on protesters - ABC News - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Propene Market Forecast Shows Modest Growth With a 1.4% CAGR in Value Through 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Myanmar: Statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the fifth anniversary of the coup - consilium.europa.eu - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- Somalia and European Union sign 102 million deal to bolster budget and reforms - hiiraan.com - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Tap and Valve Market Set for Steady Growth to $31.1 Billion by 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Fruit and Berry Market to Reach 81 Million Tons and $173.7 Billion by 2035 - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union's Lithium-Ion Battery Market Sees Sharp 2024 Decline Before Projected Long-Term Growth to $47.4 Billion - IndexBox - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union Sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran - Jewish Virtual Library - February 1st, 2026 [February 1st, 2026]
- European Union imports of cheap ecommerce parcels jump 26% in 2025 - Reuters - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- European Union The Latest To Investigate Grok - Deadline - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Better regulation in the European Union needs a fresh start - Bruegel - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Living with friction: Three anchors of the EU-India partnership - European Union Institute for Security Studies | - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- The European Union is launching an investigation into Elon Musks social media platform X and its AI chatbot feature Grok. - facebook.com - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- European Union Gives Final Approval to Ban Imports of Russian Gas - jordannews.jo - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Goodbye to ketchup and mayonnaise packets in the European Union - Brussels imposes a historic change in bars and restaurants from August -... - January 26th, 2026 [January 26th, 2026]
- Canada and the European Union: Two New Wins for Chinese Exports in the West - CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine: Council of Europe, European Union agree to set up advance team - Council of Europe - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- European Union Allocates Nearly 20 Million to the WFP for Child Nutrition in Afghanistan - 8am.media - January 24th, 2026 [January 24th, 2026]
- DAWNZERA (donidalorsen) approved in the European Union for hereditary angioedema (HAE) - Business Wire - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- The United States And The European Union: Allies Or Enemies? (SP500) - Seeking Alpha - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- European Union puts US trade deal on hold over sovereignty concerns - Trkiye Today - January 22nd, 2026 [January 22nd, 2026]
- Should the European Union begin peace talks with Moscow? - monocle.com - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Mercosur and the European Union move forward toward a free trade agreement - BNamericas - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- Agreement with the European Union could increase investments in Mercosur - BNamericas - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- European Union's Toilet and Tissue Paper Market Set for Steady Growth With 0.7% Volume CAGR Through 2035 - IndexBox - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- European Union's Sugary Soft Drink Market Set to Reach 40 Billion Litres and $46.7 Billion in Value - IndexBox - January 14th, 2026 [January 14th, 2026]
- The European Union agreed to a sweeping trade pact with four South American countries that would create one of the largest free-trade zones in the... - January 9th, 2026 [January 9th, 2026]
- MUFG to establish a universal bank in the European Union - Securities Finance Times - January 9th, 2026 [January 9th, 2026]
- Speech by President Antnio Costa at the opening ceremony of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union - consilium.europa.eu - January 9th, 2026 [January 9th, 2026]
- European Union: EU institutions give businesses the gift of legal certainty on sustainability rules - Global Compliance News - January 9th, 2026 [January 9th, 2026]
- European Union may soon have good news for Google, Meta, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and other tech firms - The Times of India - January 9th, 2026 [January 9th, 2026]
- Spain marks 40 years in the European Union - Sur in English - January 9th, 2026 [January 9th, 2026]
- The European Commission gathers material on AI content on TikTok concerning Polands membership in the European Union - European Newsroom - January 6th, 2026 [January 6th, 2026]
- How Spain and Portugal have changed in 40 years in the European Union - Euronews.com - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Neither Venezuela, nor Colombia, nor Cuba: The US points to its next target, which belongs to a European Union country - MARCA - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- European Union's X-Ray Tube Market Poised for Steady Growth With 1.6% CAGR in Value - IndexBox - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Be like Poland energetic, brave, and safe: Tusk advises the European Union - - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- European Union's Ferro-Manganese Market to Reach $74.5 Billion by 2035 on a 3% CAGR Value Growth - IndexBox - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Exams in the European Union: A Comprehensive Guide - The Good Men Project - January 4th, 2026 [January 4th, 2026]
- Sanctioning Fever: The United States, European Union and Free Speech - CounterPunch.org - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Global Regulatory Progress of NMN in the United States, Australia and European Union - CIRS Group - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Western Balkans And European Union: Group Enlargement As Strategic Response To Crisis Of Credibility And Geopolitical Uncertainty Analysis - Eurasia... - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- A Lifeline in Crisis: European Union and UNFPA Deliver Essential Health and Protection to Yemens Women and Girls - ReliefWeb - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Montenegro: European Union to invest 175 million to upgrade Bar-Golubovci railway line - The European Sting - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- European Union's Industrial Sewing Machine Market Poised for Steady Growth With 3.2% CAGR in Value - IndexBox - December 31st, 2025 [December 31st, 2025]
- Navigating EU (European Union) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Regulations for Drug/Device and Device/Drug Combination Products Training Course... - December 27th, 2025 [December 27th, 2025]
- European Union and Russia: on the Verge of War - CounterPunch.org - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina establishes first Youth Advisory Board - European Newsroom - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- European Union looks to boost plastic recycling as Chinese imports rise - Premium Beauty News - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- European Union 'strongly condemns' U.S. sanctions against five Europeans - The Hindu - December 25th, 2025 [December 25th, 2025]
- European Union drops controversial gas car ban originally set to take effect in 2035 after years of debate - supercarblondie.com - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- European Union: yes to funding abortion, no to funding large families - ZENIT - English - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- The Western Balkan energy sector: between Russia, the European Union and the green transition - Bruegel - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- European Union approves massive loan for Ukraine as Putin boasts about Russia's war - CBS News - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- European Union's Injection-Moulding Machine Market Poised for Steady Growth With 2.2% CAGR in Value - IndexBox - December 21st, 2025 [December 21st, 2025]
- What we gain and lose by staying inside the European Union - MSN - December 18th, 2025 [December 18th, 2025]
- As I See It | Russia will end the European Union, not the other way around - South China Morning Post - December 18th, 2025 [December 18th, 2025]
- The European Union should embrace decentralised finance and make it safe - Bruegel - December 18th, 2025 [December 18th, 2025]
- Russia hit with fresh sanctions! European Union adds firms tied to Moscows shadow fleet to list; bans oi - Times of India - December 16th, 2025 [December 16th, 2025]
- The European Union and the war in Ukraine: more money, but not more Europe - Bruegel - December 12th, 2025 [December 12th, 2025]
- European Union expected to indefinitely freeze Russian assets in Europe - CBS News - December 12th, 2025 [December 12th, 2025]
- Finnish Officer appointed new Deputy Commander of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in Mozambique - EEAS - December 12th, 2025 [December 12th, 2025]
- Independent living of persons with disabilities in the European Union - European Parliament - December 12th, 2025 [December 12th, 2025]