EU trade chief says US counterparts affirm commitment to last year’s deal, as bloc seeks clarity after Trump’s new 10% import tariffs.
BRUSSELS: The European Union’s trade chief says his United States counterparts have reassured him Washington stands by a key trade deal with the bloc.
This follows a landmark US Supreme Court ruling and new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.
Commissioner Maros Sefcovic told EU lawmakers he has been in constant contact with US officials. “I have been in constant touch with my counterparts, and they both reassured me they stand by the deal with the European Union,” he said.
The reassurance comes after the Supreme Court ruled Trump lacked authority to impose levies under a 1977 law. In response, Trump announced fresh tariffs of 10% on imported goods, which he has vowed to increase to 15%.
This raised complex questions about the deal clinched last year, which set tariffs at 15% for most EU goods. Sefcovic acknowledged it was “a transitional period where they are figuring out how to deal with this really landmark court ruling”.
He also said the new tariffs would be “difficult” for the EU. The European Parliament has since put its approval of the EU-US deal on ice, seeking more clarity on the fallout from the court decision.
Sefcovic said he understood the parliament’s move but urged it to approve the deal in March. This approval is conditional on receiving more clarity from the United States.
The EU executive has warned member states about potential complications. If imports face a blanket 10% levy, pre-existing duties could mean some products are taxed above the deal’s 15% rate.
Another concern is that the new flat levy could apply equally to the EU and to countries that made fewer concessions to Washington. A European diplomat said this means “the EU now loses a comparative advantage vis-a-vis other countries, which was what made the deal palatable in the first place”.
On the separate issue of Trump’s 50% duties on steel and aluminium, Sefcovic suggested there could be positive news soon. He said he received reassurances that US colleagues know it is a “big problem” and are looking into the matter.
EU member states’ representatives agreed that “a deal is a deal” during a meeting in Brussels. Sefcovic emphasised it is imperative to keep the process moving forward in implementing commitments from both sides.
The Sun Malaysia
