The European Union wants to try an agreement with the US on tariffs as it may. This was expressed by the European Commission this Friday, after the threat of a 50% tariff by Donald Trump as of June 1. And this Sunday, the president, Ursula von der Leyen, has talked on him with him and has asked for room until July 9 to give margin to the negotiations, to which the president of the US has accessed: “Today I received a call from Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, requesting an extension of the period of June 1 on the tariffs of 50% European. [si bien llevan negociando semanas]”.
July 9 is when the 90 -day partial truce expired by Trump initially to the so -called “20%reciprocal tariffs”. In response, the EU paralyzed the countermeasures he had approved to respond to 25% rates to aluminum and steel. But, in full negotiations and with an offer from Brussels on the table, Trump gave a new blow to the board and announced a 50% tariff that would go into force in a matter of days.
“The EU and the US share the closest and most important commercial relationship in the world. Europe is willing to advance in conversations quickly and decision. To reach a good agreement we would need time until July 9,” said von der Leyen in X (formerly Twitter) after what he has defined as a “good call” with Trump.
The call between both leaders is one of the first conversations that occurs between the two since Trump returned to the White House. Before the proclamation occurred, the German had already requested a hearing, but the US president has given him long. During the funeral of Pope Francis, they both had the opportunity to speak and they were located at a meeting that has no date.
Trump has made clear his aversion towards the EU in recent months, when he came to say that he had created to “fuck” the US. On the other side of the Atlantic they have been working since he has arrived at the White House making equilibria to respond with some firmness but trying not to enrage the US president, whose character is volatile and unpredictable, as it was clear on Friday, when he surprised with his announcement of a 50%tariff.
He said it just a few hours before the video call that was scheduled between the Commission of Commerce, Maros Sefcovic, and his interlocutors, the US commercial representative, Jamieson Geer, and Secretary of State, Howard Lutnick. The EU waited for that conversation to respond to Trump’s new challenge and kept his hand in the negotiation to try to reach a “good faith” agreement.
“Commerce must be guided by mutual respect and not threats,” said Commissioner of Commerce, Maros Sefcovic, after talking with his US counterparts. By then, Brussels had put a specific offer on the table to try to appease the commercial war: “zero by zero” tariff Aluminum, semiconductors, the pharmaceutical sector or cars.
But Trump also responded angry, although he left in the air the imposition of that new tariff. “The negotiations are not going anywhere. They have treated us very badly for years. The EU was created to harm the United States and take advantage of us, and that is what they have done. It is time for us to play as I know how tariffs ”.
Source: www.eldiario.es
