“The U.S. has recognised that the EU is a single entity when it comes to trade. But the exemption from the tariffs until 1st May is not very realistic. We are asking for a permanent exemption,”Jean-Claude Juncker (President of the EU Commission)said at the press conference after the Eurogroup meeting held today.
The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump singned yesterday two Presidential Procalamtions adjusting imports of steel and aluminum respectively. On them he sets exemptions on import duties comming form the European Union, but just till 1st May 2018.
But commenting ot the Presidential Memorandum targeting China’s Economic Aggression then published some remarks explaining why he had inked it, among them, there were some related to the European Union: “We are just starting a negotiation with the European Union because they’ve really shut out our country to a large extent. They have barriers that — they can trade with us but we can’t trade with them. They’re very strong barriers. They have very high tariffs. We don’t. It’s just not fair.”
EU says import tax exemptions on metals should be permanent
“Sharing the Unity determination and pragmatism on trade. The message is very clear: Europe will deffend fair and open trade relations based on agreed international rules, underscored Juncker and added. ” Before midnight we saw how important for the Europena union to be united when the United States agreed on a temporary exemption on tariffs on steel and on aluminium til the 1st of May. The decission recognises our role as longstanding security partner as well as a close trade partner”…It recognisse the EU as is an entity and cannot be divided into 28 parts. That is the good part of the news. The bad part is that US expects us to conclude negotiations we will be engaged in the next coming days till the 1st of May. It doesn’t seem to me this state is a very realistic one given the board issues we have to discuss with, and then we will advocate that the system with the exentions for the European Union will be permanent and not only temporary”.
EU will take compensating meassures if the US goes ahead with the metal duties on EU steel and aluminum imported into the United States, as advanced by Cecilia Malmström (Member of the EC in charge of Trade and member of the EU Parliament from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe -Sweden-)on 14th March.
Image over the headline.- Jean-Claude Juncker (President of the EU Commission) during the press briefing after the Eurogroup meeting held on 23rd March 2018.© European Union , 2018/Source: EC – Audiovisual Service
Related Eastwind links:
Jean-Claude Juncker’s remarks on Trump’s exemptions on metal import duties comming from the European Union
EU, taking action against Trump’s duties on steel and aluminum imports
Related external links:
Presidential Proclamation Adjusting Imports of Aluminum into the United States(includes exemption for the EU till 1st May 2018)
Presidential Proclamation Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United States (includes exemption for the EU till 1st May 2018)
Presidential Memorandum on the Actions by the United States Related to the Section 301 Investigation (China)
