Šefović in Washington: EU Ready for Fair Customs Agreement

Brussels – The European Union (EU) is committed to achieving a constructive and equitable trade agreement with the United States, advocating for zero tariffs on industrial goods as part of reciprocity. This announcement was made by European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maroš Šefčovič, following discussions with U.S. officials in Washington on Monday evening, as reported by TASR’s Brussels correspondent.

On Monday, Šefčovič, representing the European Commission (EC), engaged in the third round of face-to-face negotiations aimed at addressing trade policy concerns between the EU and the USA, with the goal of averting an escalation of tariffs and potential trade conflict.

Šefčovič shared on the social media platform X that he met with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Jamieson Greer, the chief trade representative for President Donald Trump. The primary focus of their discussions was how to effectively utilize the 90-day “window” to mutually resolve the imposition of tariffs, which the EU believes are unjustified.

Coinciding with Šefčovič’s visit to the U.S., the European Commission announced in the EU Official Journal that it is suspending retaliatory tariffs on American products for 90 days, effective until July 14. This announcement came just four days after EC President Ursula von der Leyen revealed that Brussels had agreed to postpone its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods for the same duration in response to a similar decision made by President Trump.

“The EU is a constructive partner ready to engage in a fair agreement, including reciprocity through our customs proposal of zero for zero tariffs on industrial goods, and we aim to remove non-tariff barriers,” Šefčovič stated upon concluding the discussions. He emphasized that achieving this objective will necessitate substantial collaborative efforts from both sides of the Atlantic.

This marks Šefčovič’s third trip to Washington focused on resolving ongoing tariff disputes. He previously met with Lutnick and Greer regarding this issue on February 20, had a follow-up discussion at the end of March, and participated in a two-hour video call with them last Friday (April 11), further addressing tariff and trade matters. (April 14)

“The EU is a constructive partner ready for a fair agreement, including reciprocity through our customs offer of zero for zero tariffs on industrial goods and work on removing non-tariff barriers.” Maroš Šefčovič