The European Union offers the United States an agreement to abolish all duties for industrial goods. This was announced on Monday by the President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen after a meeting with the Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store. This is informed by TASR.
The head of the European Commission, who discussed US duty on Sunday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in the media report that she said that New duties bring huge costs especially for US consumers and businessesbut they also have a huge impact on the global economy and hardly hit developing countries.
“Nevertheless, we are ready to negotiate with the US. In fact, we offered zero duties for industrial goods, as we have successfully done with other business partners. Because Europe is always ready for a good business. We leave this on the table. However, we are also ready to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests, ” she stated.
Asked by the media whether it was offered by the US party to the US party for trade Maroš Šefčovič, spokeswoman of EC ARIANNA Podesta, she confirmed that Šefčovič had previously spoken to partners from the USA.
At the same time, von der Leyen stressed that the EU will also protect itself from indirect effects of new duties through the diversion of trade. For this purpose, the EC will set up a working group of supervision of imports (Import Surveillance Task Force) and will cooperate with the industry for assurance that there is a necessary base of evidence for the political measures taken.
The EC chief said in this context that It continues intensively addressing representatives of the European Industry. On Monday afternoon she met with representatives of the steel and aluminum industry, as well as with representatives of Businesseurope and SME United. In the afternoon she was expected to negotiate with the automotive industry and expects the pharmaceutical industry.
“We are discussing a reaction to the US, but also about two other pillars of our strategy – to strengthen the single market by removing obstacles and diversifying our business relationships,” Leyen described the essence of her meetings with experts from industries.
