The call of the IMF to the EU and the US, in the context of Donald Trump's policies. “An effort must be made”

The United States and the European Union must “disassemble” and “negotiate an agreement” to help stimulate weak economic growth on the continent, said the director for Europe of the International Monetary Fund on Friday, according to AFP.

“In our discussions with European leaders, I do not feel any difference in opinion on the importance of this relationship,” said the IMF director for Europe, Alfred Kammer, for Washington reporters.

“An effort must be made to disassemble and negotiate an agreement,” he said, adding that he hopes that negotiations will be successful.

Alfred Kammer held a press conference in the margin of spring and IMF in Washington, who have gathered with central finance and bankers around the world, in a time when many countries want to quickly renegotiate the commercial relationship with Washington.

Trump announced an avalanche of customs tariffs

At the beginning of April, US President Donald Trump announced customs tariffs for many countries, including a 20% fee for the EU, so that after only a few days it will reduce the majority at a “basic” level of 10%.

In addition to these measures, Washington has introduced specific taxes in sectors such as cars or steel and aluminum.

The countries and blocks targeted by the new taxes were granted for a period of 90 days, which ends in July, to negotiate an agreement and to eliminate the commercial barriers from the US relationship.

The break does not apply to China, whose exports to the US currently is currently facing customs duties of up to 245%, according to the BBC.

The EU, not the Member States, was pregnant with negotiating the agreement, but the European ministers who went to Washington expressed their opinions on the stage of negotiations.

“We will not hide the fact that we are still away from an agreement,” said the French Minister of Economy, Eric Lombard, in an interview on Thursday.

At a IMF event that took place on Thursday, the German Minister of Finance spoke in a more optimistic note, saying that a timely agreement can be perfected.

“We are optimistic that it will work, the faster, the better,” said Minister Joerg Kukies.

“Europe is competitive”

The IMF director for Europe has also addressed the issue of European economic growth, which has remained behind the US in recent years.

“There is a narrative according to which Europe is not competitive, and this narrative is actually wrong,” Kammer said.

“Europe is competitive. Europe has a common account over the rest of the world,” he continued. “What we argue is that Europe has a gap in productivity and, in particular, a gap in productivity,” the official explained.