"Any trade agreement with the US must be based on respect, not threats" - EU Commissioner
Kyiv • UNN
According to European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, the EU seeks to reach an agreement with the US, but on the basis of respect. European politicians have expressed disappointment over possible further tariffs from the US.
European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič said that the EU is seeking to reach an agreement with the United States, but it must be based on "respect, not threats." This was reported by The Guardian, writes UNN.
The EU is fully involved and strives to reach an agreement that will benefit both parties. The European Commission is ready to work in good faith. Trade between the EU and the US is unparalleled and should be based on mutual respect, not threats. We are ready to defend our interests
European politicians have expressed disappointment with the news of further duties from the United States. In particular, French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin said that Trump's new threats do not contribute to the negotiations, but "we are ready to respond." Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told the media that the goal remains "zero tariffs for zero tariffs."
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof supported the EU's strategy for trade negotiations. "We have already seen that tariffs can rise and fall during negotiations with the United States," he said.
Irish Prime Minister Michal Martin said that Trump's proposal is "extremely disappointing." "Tariffs hurt all parties. Tariffs at the proposed level will not only push prices up, they will seriously damage one of the most dynamic and important trade relations in the world... Negotiations are the only sustainable way forward," he said.
MEP Bernd Lange (Germany) announced the possibility of introducing countermeasures against the United States. "We will not allow ourselves to be pressured and will objectively try to start negotiations next week. If the negotiations are unsuccessful, the European Union is strong enough to apply countermeasures to compensate for economic losses," he said.
According to the American government, the EU is one of the largest trading partners of the United States, which last year exported goods worth more than $600 billion and imported $370 billion.
Let us remind you
President Donald Trump said that negotiations with Brussels are not leading to anything and recommends introducing a 50% duty on imports of goods from the European Union from June 1, 2025.