The European Union does not want to wait on August 1 to close a Commercial Agreement with the USA. Despite, from Brussels they don’t look beyond this Wednesday, July 9, Date initially planned as a maximum term to avoid the entry into force of the calls’reciprocal tariffs‘.
It has been the European Commission, through the spokesman for Commerce, Olof Gillwho has confirmed that “full machine” is worked To seal the pact before July 9.
“We are in contact with our US counterparts at the highest political level. Contact at a technical level also continues. We are fully prepared for achieve a beginning According to here Wednesday and we are working at full speed to achieve it, “Gill said at a press conference this Monday.
His words arrive hours after the US wanted to expand in four weeks the deadline given by Trumpwho continues to constantly move Tariff threats and ads To the rest of the world.
The country’s own president has not hesitated to point “I think we will have most countries on July 9, or a letter or an agreement”, although its secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, added whatever it is, the tariffs “will enter into force on August 1”.
From Brussels they insist that there are “advances” both at the technical and political level to achieve what they consider a “principle of agreement” before the ‘tariff truce’ ends, which at all times set on July 9. The spokesman has warned that the negotiations are in a “sensitive” phase and that negotiators work “hard” for a according to what “everyone wins” (win-winin English) and not one in which “everyone loses,” according to Europa Press.
Brussels, whose negotiating team speaks on behalf of the 27 in commercial policy, last Friday informed the state member states of the conversations without having transcended details, although it is assumed that the Possibility of an agreement for zero tariffs is no longer on the table Because the United States bids to maintain key taxes.
At the moment, Brussels would have already moved publicly, showing open to an agreement that, the pharmacistthe alcoholthat of semiconductors and that of the aeronautics.
In this context, he added, the head of the Community Executive, Ursula von der Leyen, spoke this Sunday by Telefono with the president of the United States, Donald Trump, to take stock, although it has not been known until this Monday that the call took place and Brussels has avoided giving details of its content or duration. The conversation between the two was “good,” said another von der spokesman, without providing more data.
In this way, the Community Executive defends that it continues to press for an agreement that ends tariffs and avoids responding to the information that suggests that the United States raises 17% surcharges on certain European productions, such as agricultural ones.
In addition, community services continue to work with all the scenarios, including retaliation measures (the EU has a first round of counter -aarence and is completing a second list), although they insist that at this time the focus is only put on achieving a principle of agreement before Wednesday.
“We are not going to comment letters that we have not received, nor will we comment on statements made by the US administration. We continue working with the term of July 9 And in that framework follow the political and technical contacts between the EU and the United States, “Gill has settled.
In any case, Von der Leyen herself admitted last Thursday that I saw “impossible” to reach an agreement “in detail” before July 9that is, just 90 days after starting negotiations, because transatlantic relationships between the EU and the United States represent a “huge” business volume – 1.5 billion. Therefore, he advocated closing a “principle of agreement” before Wednesday, following the example of Washington’s pacts with the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
In the commercial battle launched after its arrival at the White House, Trump activated 50% tariffs on European steel and aluminum, from another 25% on European imports of vehicles and pieces and announced another 20% massive 20% on most remaining productions from the EU.
With the truce announced until July 9 to give margin to the negotiation, the US president actually kept the encumbrances on steel, aluminum and cars, although temporarily reduced from 20 to 10% the other tariffs, which the United States refers as “reciprocal” even if they are not.
Also this Monday, the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Company, Carlos Corpora, has notified upon arrival at a meeting of Economy Ministers of the Eurozone that still having an agreement here to Wednesday will be “of principles” and will be necessary later “weeks of negotiation” to define the agreed.
“We all know that 90 days for a commercial agreement is a very short period,” said body to the press, after emphasizing that any agreement that can occur these days will require more negotiations to “deepen more” not only in regard to tariffs but “at the sector level”, to guarantee a balanced agreement.
