AFP :
EU leaders meeting in Bulgaria pledged Thursday to refuse all trade talks with the United States unless Washington grants a permanent exemption from painful metals tariffs that are set to kick in on June 1. However, as an incentive to US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross-the hard-nosed negotiator for the Trump administration-leaders floated ideas that could be acted on if Europe is let off the hook.
As a precaution if no solution is found, Europe has lined up its own punitive tariffs on American imports, including iconic items such as Harley-Davidson motorbikes and bourbon whiskey. These measures will officially become enforceable next month, but Europeans have committed for now not to use them as talks with the US are still ongoing, in fear of sparking a trade war. “The European position is a balanced position between those who have a more bellicose attitude and those who would like to maintain bridges and dialogue with the US,” a European Union diplomat said on the sidelines of the talks in Sofia. The leaders said they could be open to trade talks with the US to lower tariffs on certain industrial-but not agricultural-products as well as to open public procurement markets.
The “limited” deal would focus in particular on cars, a strategic sector that US President Donald Trump has brought sharp attention to in several tweets. US cars sold in the EU are slapped with 10 percent tariffs, while Washington imposes 25 percent duties on European pick-ups and trucks.
EU leaders meeting in Bulgaria pledged Thursday to refuse all trade talks with the United States unless Washington grants a permanent exemption from painful metals tariffs that are set to kick in on June 1. However, as an incentive to US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross-the hard-nosed negotiator for the Trump administration-leaders floated ideas that could be acted on if Europe is let off the hook.
As a precaution if no solution is found, Europe has lined up its own punitive tariffs on American imports, including iconic items such as Harley-Davidson motorbikes and bourbon whiskey. These measures will officially become enforceable next month, but Europeans have committed for now not to use them as talks with the US are still ongoing, in fear of sparking a trade war. “The European position is a balanced position between those who have a more bellicose attitude and those who would like to maintain bridges and dialogue with the US,” a European Union diplomat said on the sidelines of the talks in Sofia. The leaders said they could be open to trade talks with the US to lower tariffs on certain industrial-but not agricultural-products as well as to open public procurement markets.
The “limited” deal would focus in particular on cars, a strategic sector that US President Donald Trump has brought sharp attention to in several tweets. US cars sold in the EU are slapped with 10 percent tariffs, while Washington imposes 25 percent duties on European pick-ups and trucks.
