Ready to negotiate, but determined: Chancellor Merz defends the waiting attitude of the EU in the customs dispute with the United States. He campaigned for an agreement before August 1st. An EU team is currently on the way to the USA.
What is the correct handling of the US customs notice from last weekend? Chancellor Friedrich Merz defends the waiting attitude of Berlin and Brüssels. “Over the weekend, I also campaigned for us not to put any reciprocal tariffs into force,” he said when visiting the Bavarian cabinet on the Zugspitze. “But please, the American government should not underestimate our willingness to react to excessively high customs loads with similar measures.”
Merz also campaigned for a quick conclusion of the customs negotiations between the USA and the EU. “Our goal is and remains to get a solution quickly that relieves the trade in the United States and re -provides lower tariffs,” said Merz.
He hoped for a negotiating solution. That is why he is in close contact with US President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Customs announced from August 1st
Trump had announced in the middle of ongoing negotiations with the EU tariffs of 30 percent for European goods from August 1st. This would have serious consequences for world trade, Germany would be particularly affected as an important US trade partner.
A negotiation team from the EU Commission is currently on the go to Washington. A group of EU officials is on the way to the USA, said a spokesman in Brussels. Commercial commissioner Maros Sefcovic yesterday with US trade minister Howard Lutnick on the phone that a conversation with the trade officer Jamieson Greer was scheduled for the evening.
“We are in a delicate phase of negotiations,” said the commission spokesman. The goal is a fundamental agreement before the deadline on August 1st. From the EU Commission’s point of view, such an agreement is “within reach” despite the recent threats from Washington.
Counter tariffs are drawn up
At the same time, the EU is working on countermeasures. It is about a list of US products that could be affected by new EU tariffs. It was adjusted again after a public consultation and concerns imports from the United States worth around 72 billion euros.
In addition, the EU Commission recently also prepared restrictions on steel scrap and chemical products in the USA worth 4.4 billion euros. In the event that the United States, the United States does not resolve the new tariffs that have already been introduced on steel and aluminum imports are not resolved.
