Washington (Eurotoday) – European trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic stated that his top priority in trade discussions with President Donald Trump’s administration is to prevent economic hardship for both sides due to unilateral U.S. tariffs and European Union countermeasures.
The EU trade chief emphasized that tariff reciprocity should apply equally to both the EU and the US. With the US preparing “reciprocal tariffs,” the EU is ready to engage, Sefcovic affirmed.
“We will be ready to look (at) how we can lower the import duties for all industrial products,”
he stated.
How does Sefcovic propose achieving tariff reciprocity with the US?
Sefcovic stressed that if the US sought reciprocity, “it must work for both” sides.
During his three-day visit to Washington for discussions with US officials and business leaders, he defended against Trump’s allegations of unfairness in US-EU trade relations.
He told reporters that one of his requests was for a delay in US tariffs while both parties discussed their concerns. He expressed confidence that the United States would also be “ready to consider” reducing its tariffs.
Why is the EU concerned about unilateral US tariffs?
Although the EU imposes higher tariffs on personal vehicles, Sefcovic pointed out that the US protects other sectors such as pick-up trucks.
“While we protect European interests, we seek constructive dialogue to avoid unnecessary pain of measures and countermeasures,”
he stated during his visit to Washington.
How could transatlantic cooperation tackle global overcapacity issues?
The EU and the US acknowledge that they face common challenges, such as global overcapacity driven by non-market practices—a concern involving China. Sefcovic stated that transatlantic allies should work together to prevent global overcapacity and expressed optimism that the EU could help ease US concerns about the trade deficit.
He noted that the EU requires more liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it phases out Russian gas, highlighting this as an area where both sides could collaborate. If the EU needed to bridge a 50 billion euro trade deficit with the US, he suggested, “we can really do it, if we put our mind to it,” adding that this could be achieved “relatively quickly.”
A day earlier, Sefcovic stated at the US Enterprise Institute that the EU saw “no justification for sudden, unilateral tariff increases” by the US. However, he warned that if the US proceeded with imposing tariffs, the EU would have “no choice but to respond firmly and swiftly.”
Additionally, he has cautioned that countermeasures could target specific sectors, including automobiles, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors.
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