Paris (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Discussions between the European Union and the United States about a tariff agreement are advancing quickly. EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said they’re “heading in the right direction” after meeting with US trade representative Jamieson Greer in Paris.
EU and the US are in Paris for talks to settle a heated tariff dispute with major global economic implications between the two superpowers. On Wednesday, the European Union’s top trade negotiator, Maroš Šefčovič, met with his American counterpart, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development meeting.
What progress was made during the Paris trade meeting?
Both flanks had previously agreed to step up their discussions with the goal of reaching a breakthrough and finding a way to settle their differences by Sunday. There seems to be progress in trade talks between the U.S. and the European Union, according to a social media post by European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic on Wednesday.
After meeting on the sidelines of the OECD Ministerial Council meeting in Paris, Sefcovic said he had a productive and constructive conversation with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
“We’re advancing in the right direction at pace — and staying in close contact to maintain the momentum,” he said.
How did Trump’s tariff hike affect the talks?
U.S. President Donald Trump frequently complains about the country’s ongoing trade deficit with the EU, which reached a record $161 billion last year, the U.S. Commerce Department reports.
Trump attributes the imbalance between U.S. exports and imports from Europe to unfair trade practices, often targeting the EU’s 10% tariff on imported cars for criticism. Previously, the U.S. tax on imported cars was 2.5%, but Trump increased it to 25% in April. The EU counters that its purchases of U.S. services, particularly in the tech sector, largely offset the trade deficit.
How is the EU preparing to respond to tariffs?
Following the Trump administration’s unexpected steel tariffs last week, which shook global markets and complicated broader tariff talks between the EU and the US, the EU announced on Monday that it’s preparing countermeasures against the US.
The European Union has also proposed a “zero for zero” deal to the U.S., where both sides would eliminate tariffs on industrial goods, including automobiles. Although Trump has turned down this idea, EU officials claim it’s still an option.
Lailuma Sadid is a former diplomat in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Embassy to the kingdom of Belgium, in charge of NATO. She attended the NATO Training courses and speakers for the events at NATO H-Q in Brussels, and also in Nederland, Germany, Estonia, and Azerbaijan. Sadid has is a former Political Reporter for Pajhwok News Agency, covering the London, Conference in 2006 and Lisbon summit in 2010.
