The customs dispute between the USA and Europe continues to escalate? That should be the determining topic of the visit by EU trade commissioner Sefcovic in Washington. The British Prime Minister Strandmer is at least optimistic.
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic travels to Washington in the middle of the customs dispute with the USA. There he wants to meet US Minister of Trade Howard Lutnick and Trump’s trade representative Jamieson Greer. The visit is “a continuation of our cooperation with the US government,” said a spokeswoman for the EU Commission.
In mid-March, Trump’s tariffs of 25 percent had come into force on steel and aluminum products. It is the first tariffs of his second term, of which the EU and its member countries are directly affected.
The Commission immediately responded with the announcement of several counter -tariffs from April 1, but postponed the serves by two weeks last week.
Defeat creates air for advice
The commission gives the commission “additional time for discussions with the US government”, a spokesman justified the procedure. Brussels also wants to advise on other possible counter-tariffs with the EU member states.
Surks on jeans, whiskey or motorcycles, as they had already been introduced in Trump’s first term, are currently planned. In addition, the Commission is considering additional tariffs on steel and aluminum products as well as other textile and leather goods, beef and sugar.
Trump threatens wine and champagne with 200 percent
One reason for the shift should also be Trump’s threat of tariffs of 200 percent on alcoholic drinks such as wine and champagne. Wine farmers and manufacturers of spirits such as cognac would be particularly affected. From EU circles it was said that France, Spain and Italy had pushed the EU Commission to postpone the EU tariffs.
According to EU calculations, the US premium concerns exports worth $ 28 billion. The counter tariffs should apply to the same extent in US products.
Great Britain hopefully
The British Prime Minister Keir Strandmer was optimistic about the trade relationships between the two countries after a phone call to US President Donald Trump. There is “progress” in the work on an “Agreement for Economic Prosperity”, said Stranders spokesman. According to this, the Prime Minister had “a short conversation” with the US president late Sunday evening.
Great Britain, like many other countries of Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum as well as other threatened surcharges, is affected. According to British media reports, the government in London is now considering to offer Washington a tax on Tech companies.
USA most important trading partner in Great Britain
Stranders spokesman only said that the government would act “in national interest”. “We will continue to ensure that companies pay their fair share in the tax, including companies in the digital sector,” he added.
As a single country, the United States is the most important trading partner of the UK. The government in London had hoped to quickly complete a transatlantic free trade agreement after leaving the EU in 2020. But the conversations quickly failed. There is now a much more limited agreement that is tailored to certain industries.
