“Europe is ready to quickly and definitely move forward in negotiations. To reach a good agreement, we have time until July 9,” wrote Ursula von der Leyen on X and added that “the EU and the United States have the widest and closest commercial relations in the world.”
Trump on Friday stated that “does not strive to conclude a trade agreement” with the European Union And he threatened to apply 50 % duties on imports from the EU from June 1.
The European Union has a very high trade surplus from the US, which means that in these negotiations Donald Trump has “strong cards”. Mutual duties will hit the Union strongly, including Germany than the United States.
In response to this ultimatum, the European Commission called on the USA to start negotiations on the trade agreement. “The EU is fully committed and determined to secure an agreement that will be beneficial to both sides,” said EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic after talks with a US representative for Jamieson Greer trade and minister of trade Howard Lutnick.
“Trade between the EU and the United States must take place on the basis of mutual respect, not threats. We are ready to defend our interests,” he added.
In turn, the German finance minister Lars Klingbeil called on Sunday the United States to join “serious negotiations”. “American duties threaten the American economy as well as German and European economy,” Klingbeil said in an interview with the Sunday release of Dziennik Bild.
At the beginning of May, the EU threatened to impose duties on imports from the United States, including cars and planes, worth EUR 95 billion, if trade negotiations with Trump failed. The EC also announced that she would refer the case to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
In recent months, the US administration has set out the European Union three times: in March 25 % on steel and aluminum, and in April 25 % on cars and additional tariffs for all other European products in the amount of 20 %, which were suspended until July. The EU also applies to basic duties in the amount of 10 percent.
