Last Updated:
EU trade ministers met for the first time on Monday at a bloc-wide level to discuss Trump’s tariffs. The EU seeks to avoid a trade war even as France called for aggressive policies.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Reuters File Image)
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she had offered the United States “zero-for-zero tariffs” for industrial goods after US President Donald Trump’s tariff blitzkrieg rattled global markets and ushered in a new era of economic uncertainty.
“We stand ready to negotiate with the United States. Indeed, we have offered zero-for-zero tariffs for industrial goods, as we have successfully done with many other trading partners, because Europe is always ready for a good deal,” she said, adding that this deal was made before Trump announced reciprocal tariffs.
This came as EU trade ministers met for the first time at a bloc-wide level to discuss Trump’s sweeping tariffs on different countries that have roiled global trade. Trump said he would slap 20 percent tariffs on EU goods, and the European bloc said it would respond with countermeasures should negotiations fail.
The ministers’ discussions will focus on preparing “our next move in relation vis-a-vis the United States but also how to prepare our trading system back in the European Union to prevent eventual trade diversion”, said EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic.
Divergences have remained in the EU’s approach, with France and Germany advocating the targeting of US tech and other services. However, this approach has drawn fire from Ireland, which relies heavily on US investment, particularly in the pharmaceutical and tech sectors.
- Location :
Brussels, Belgium
