Join to press better. It is a clue that it is said that the European Union progresses to oppose 30% customs of customs tasks decreed this Saturday by Donald Trump.
According to Bloomberg’s indiscretion, Brussels is preparing to intensify its commitment to other countries affected by Donald Trump’s customs tariffs after a series of new threats against the block and other commercial partners of the United States.
This week, the European Competition Commissioner, Teresa Ribera, goes to India to deepen the relationship with the new commercial agreements and must make other stops in the countries of the Asia and the Pacific region.
Could these discussions with new partners lead to common countermeasures to accentuate the pressure on the US president? Rather, it seems that it is about strengthening trade between these different blocks. In other words, to increase free trade within the western block sanctioned by the customs duties of Donald Trump.
“Method of change”
The European Union still hopes to obtain an agreement with the United States after Donald Trump’s new threats to impose customs duties on August 1, but patience is falling, the EU European Chief of European Trade negotiator said Monday.
But, he added, “we must prepare for all possibilities, including, if necessary, for proportional and well calibrated countermeasures to restore the balance of our transatlantic relationship.”
The decision of the US President, announced in a letter made public on Saturday, made a cold while the commercial negotiations were still underway between Brussels and Washington, before the deadline of August 1.
“No taboo”
“Obviously, the situation since Saturday should lead us to change our method,” added the French minister in charge of foreign trade in Brussels on Monday, before a meeting of the EU ministers. And he should not have “not taboo”, he hit, including the ads of the first reprisals on Monday.
“We want an agreement, but there is an old saying that says: ‘If you want peace, you have to prepare for war,” said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, whose country currently provides the EU rotating presidency.
The president of the European Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the EU Member States, Ursula von der Leyen, has chosen for the moment to delay, under the particular pressure of countries, such as Germany, whose sales to the United States represent the most important part of the total exports of the EU.
He announced on Sunday that the European Union was not going to retaliate at the time of American customs’ tasks on steel and aluminum, hoping to obtain an agreement that would be less painful.
“We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This is still the case and we will use the time we have now until August 1,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
However, diplomats indicated that an additional package of additional reprisals would be presented to the ministers on Monday, measures that could be implemented if Donald Trump really would really opt for 30% taxes in imports of the European Union.
100 billion euros
The EU has already threatened in May to impose customs duties in American products worth around 100 billion euros, including cars and airplanes, if the negotiations failed, even if a diplomat suggested that the final list had been reduced to a value of 72 billion.
European countries are trying to remain united in this case, although their savings are not exposed in the same way to the customs anger of US President.
Emmanuel Macron urged the European Commission on Saturday to “resolutely defend European interests” and “accelerate the preparation of credible countermeasures.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday that he agreed with the French president, added that he had argued with him, with Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump in recent days. He claims to get involved “intensely” to try to reach a solution.
The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, warned Sunday against the perspective of a “commercial war” within the western world.
“Europe has the economic and financial power necessary to affirm its position and achieve a fair and common sense agreement. Italy will do its part. As always,” he said in a statement, while his opposition accuses him of lacking firmness against Washington.
Source: BFM TV
