The European Commission prefers the trading to the dutybut to be able to move towards a solution, you need to USA establish its position more clearly and get more involved in the negotiation, and that is what you have asked for The Commission of Commerce, Maros Sefcovicafter traveling to Washington last Monday to meet with his American counterparts.
“The EU is doing its part. Now it is necessary for the US to define its position. As in any negotiation, it must be a double -meaning street, a bidirectional commitment, in which both parties put something on the table, “he said The commission spokesman, Olof Gill. He has done so in a statement after the series of meetings that SEFCOVIC held on Monday.
On that negotiation table, the EU has put an offer to eliminate mutually tariffs on all imports of industrial goods, including cars. It also opens to explore forms of Eliminate non -tariff barriersalthough the trade spokesman warns that Phytosanitary standards are “sacrosanct” and Brussels will not reform its laws on digital services and markets.
The commission is offered to seek solutions to overcapacity in steel and aluminum sectors -That Brussels mainly blames China-, and address aspects related to the chains of Supply of semiconductors and pharmaceutical products. Again, as soon as Sefcovic left Washington, the president of the United States, Donald Trumpannounced that your team prepares More tariffs in this area. Something expected by Brussels and against what the community executive “has presented solid arguments,” Gill said.
Technical work
SEFCOVIC met last Monday with The Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnickand Trump’s commercial policy advisor, Jamieson Greer. According to the commission itself, the meeting lasted approximately two hours, although the contacts continued later at the technical level. It is the Third time that the commissioner travels to Washington But it still does not know what the position of the United States is. The idea is now to continue the work at the technical level to identify areas where agreements can be achieved.
Although SEFCOVIC will maintain contact with its American counterparts, It is not expected to travel to the US again. Last week, SEFCOVIC showed its frustration because he considered that there were issues that could be easily resolved if there was will. Brussels now ask the United States a “clearer” position and “get more involved” In negotiations To be able to “keep moving forward.”
Sefcovic met last week with the Ministers of Economy, Commerce and Foreign A temporary pause in the escalation Tariff The Slovenian then recognized his feeling was that the tariffs actually responded to “a decision of the US administration to transform the global commercial system and that they see Tariffs as a corrective tool For many of its political objectives “, not so much to a matter of commercial policy.
In the statement issued by the commissioner’s team, its spokesman underlines the need to Address “uncertainty” in the world economy generated by the decisions of the United States and the importance of taking advantage of the window of opportunity offered by these 90 days of pause. But without advances and before the announcement of new levies by the Trump administration, Brussels continue the work to respond with reprisals if necessary. “And everything continues on the table,” Gill has warned.
