2025-12-03 19:08
publication
2025-12-03 19:08
If the European Union wants to conclude a trade deal with the US, it must give our technology companies a break, said US Trade Minister Howard Lutnick on Wednesday. He also said that EU regulations on AI are costing Europe a lot of money and that the EU should stop “attacking” AI.
Lutnick spoke in an interview for CNBC about his negotiations with EU officials in the context of an agreement with Great Britain to reduce tariffs on drugs to zero in exchange for London increasing the prices of American drugs paid for by the public health service. When asked whether such an arrangement was also possible with the European Union, he said that due to its scale, the EU was a “completely different animal”.
– I was in Brussels last week and talked to them, they really want to make a deal. I told them: listen, you have to give our technology companies a break. It's about balance. These are trade agreements. You have to bargain to get the best results, Lutnick said.
This is how the minister described the talks in Brussels, which, according to reports, were mainly about 50% reduction in US tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. It was the first conversation between the two sides at such a high level since the July agreement, which was intended to stabilize the situation and reduce the risk of a trade war. Implementation of the agreement, which set the general level of customs duties on EU products at 15%. progress is slow – some provisions are still awaiting approval by the European Parliament.
Lutnick He also criticized EU regulations on artificial intelligence on Wednesdayclaiming that they cost the European economy a lot.
– It would be great if they abolished these rules. I tried to tell them that if you follow the rules like Donald Trump's, you will get investments the same way Donald Trump gets them (…). If you have absurd regulations, you will get absurd results, he said.
He added that when he talked to British representatives, he told them that if they loosened regulations on AI, instead of PLN 4 billion in investment in technology, they would receive PLN 24 billion, “If only they introduced the same rules that President Trump introduced in America, supporting the construction and development of artificial intelligence, instead of attacking it like these European economies.”
Lutnick also referred to the possible removal of a large part of the tariffs introduced by Donald Trump by the Supreme Court, which – as it is expected – will soon issue a ruling on their legality. Although the contested tariffs imposed under the IEEPA Economic Sanctions Act were the starting point for negotiating trade agreements, including with the EU, Lutnick assured that these agreements would remain in force. However, he expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would issue a ruling favorable to the Trump administration.
– If this unfortunate, this crazy thing happens: that the Supreme Court doesn't side with the president – and I think it will – then we have other tools to implement these tariffs. Customs duties will remain. The contracts will remain, he assured.
From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)
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