EU Seeks Urgent Dialogue as US Tariffs Threaten Trade
(MENAFN) The European Union issued a stern caution on Monday regarding the United States’ planned imposition of a 30% tariff on goods from the EU.
Officials warned that such a steep duty would essentially eliminate any prospects for trade between the two economic powers. With the Aug. 1 deadline fast approaching, the EU committed to exhausting all possible efforts to reach a mutually acceptable resolution.
During a press briefing in Brussels, Maros Sefcovic, the EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, alongside Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, reiterated the bloc's strong preference for constructive dialogue.
They emphasized the importance of EU solidarity while facing escalating trade tensions.
Just days earlier, on Saturday, US President Donald Trump declared that Washington would enforce 30% tariffs on imports from both the EU and Mexico starting Aug. 1.
This announcement jeopardized transatlantic trade negotiations, which the EU had hoped to conclude with a wide-ranging agreement within the current month.
"The EU, as you know very well, never walks away without genuine effort," stated Sefcovic, highlighting the bloc’s commitment to diplomacy.
He continued by noting the significant efforts invested by both parties and the proximity of a potential accord, stating, "Especially considering the hard work invested, how close we find ourselves to making a deal, and the clear benefits of the negotiated solution. But as I have said before, it takes two hands to clap."
Sefcovic revealed that discussions with high-level US officials, including President Trump and members of the White House, are ongoing.
He emphasized, "We want to use every day, every possibility, and every minute until the first of August to find negotiated solution."
The commissioner underscored that a 30% tariff would be “absolute prohibitive to any trade,” warning of its devastating impact.
He stressed that the EU’s core objective remains the protection of employment, enterprises, and the broader European economic structure.
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