EU cannot give timeline for US tariff order on cars or joint statement
The EU and US reached a framework trade agreement at the end of July but only the 15% baseline tariff on European exports had so far come into effect as of last week. EU officials previously said a joint statement would follow the deal "very soon" together with with executive orders from US President Donald Trump on key carve-outs.
"It is an agreement we believe is strong and the best we could have. Of course, we expect the US to take further steps that are part of the agreement but I don't believe at this stage we can put a timeline on the engagements," the European Commission spokesperson said.
The carve-outs include a reduction of the 27.5% US import tariff on EU cars and car parts to 15%. While duties on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors are zero, if they rise as a result of a US probe into imports of the products, Trump assured these would not exceed the 15% ceiling.
As part of the deal, the EU and US are finalising a list of products where tariffs would go down to zero on the two sides, such as on aircraft, while other products would revert to a much lower most favoured nation rate. Separately, negotiations on rates for spirits and wine are expected to drag into the autumn.
Europe faces tariffs of 50% on steel and aluminium exports to the US but the two sides have agreed to set a quota system and a "metals alliance" that would later lower duties. In the interim, however, EU smelters are under pressure as US tariffs have led to a surge in exports of their main input, scrap metal.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
an hour ago
- Eyewitness News
Trump drops Ukraine ceasefire demand after Putin summit
WASHINGTON - Donald Trump on Saturday dropped his push for a ceasefire in Ukraine in favour of pursuing a full peace accord – a major shift announced hours after his summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin yielded no clear breakthrough. Prior to the high-stakes meeting in Alaska, securing an immediate cessation of hostilities had been a core demand of Trump and European leaders including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky, who will now hold talks with the US president in Washington on Monday. The shift away from an urgent ceasefire would seem to favour Putin, who has long argued for negotiations on a final peace deal - a strategy that Ukraine and its European allies have criticised as a way to buy time and press home Russia's battlefield advances. "It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a peace agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere ceasefire agreement, which often times do not hold up," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after the Alaska talks. Before the summit, Trump had warned of "severe consequences" if Moscow did not accept a ceasefire. In a call with European leaders on his flight back to Washington, Trump said the US was prepared to provide security guarantees for Ukraine - an assurance German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed as "significant progress." But there was a scathing assessment of the summit outcome from the European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas, who accused Putin of seeking to "drag out negotiations" with no commitment to end the bloodshed. "The harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war any time soon," Kallas said. The New York Times, citing two European officials briefed on Trump's call with European leaders, said the president had expressed support for Putin's proposal for Ukraine to cede territory it controls to Russia in exchange for an eventual ceasefire. ZELENSKY BACK IN WHITE HOUSE The main diplomatic focus now switches to Zelensky's talks with Trump in Washington on Monday. An EU source told AFP that a number of European leaders had also been invited to attend. The Ukrainian president's last visit to the White House in February ended in an extraordinary shouting match, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly berating Zelensky for not showing enough gratitude for US help against the Russian invasion. Zelensky said Saturday after a "substantive" conversation with Trump about the Alaska summit that he looked forward to his Washington visit and discussing "all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war." In an interview with Fox News after his sit-down with Putin, Trump had suggested that the onus was now on Zelensky to secure a peace deal as they work towards an eventual trilateral summit with Putin. "It's really up to President Zelensky to get it done," Trump said. "And I would also say the European nations, they have to get involved a little bit, but it's up to President Zelensky." EUROPEAN PRESSURE The leaders of France, Britain and Germany are due to host a video call Sunday for their so-called "coalition of the willing" to discuss the way forward. In an earlier statement, they welcomed the plan for a Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit but added that they would maintain pressure on Russia in the absence of a ceasefire. "We will continue to strengthen sanctions and wider economic measures to put pressure on Russia's war economy until there is a just and lasting peace," the statement said. Meanwhile, the conflict in Ukraine raged on, with Kyiv announcing Saturday that Russia had launched 85 attack drones and a ballistic missile during the night. Back in Moscow, Putin said his summit talks with Trump had been "timely" and "very useful." "The conversation was very frank, substantive, and, in my opinion, brings us closer to the necessary decisions," he said. In his post-summit statement in Alaska, Putin had warned Ukraine and European countries not to engage in any "behind-the-scenes intrigues" that could disrupt what he called "this emerging progress."
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
A one-sided perspective on the United States
US president Donald Trump has inherited a demoralised nation. The USA doesn't need to be told what to do by small countries that welcome Russian warships. It doesn't need to be criticised by discredited bodies such as UNICEF, says the writer. Image: Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP Gideon Chitanga (Star, 6 August 2025) gives a one-sided view of the USA. Had it not been for the USA, Europeans may now be mainly German-speaking, and Japanese the language of the East. Which country prevented Russia from extending its influence during the Cold War? Which country has been financing NATO and other world bodies for decades? There is much to denounce colonialism for, and apartheid in South Africa was the height of human evil. The Western world's history of slavery is nothing to be proud of, but it would shatter readers to watch the video, 'The Horrifying Arab Slave Trade That History Forgot'. And before that, it was the Romans. The character of Donald Trump may not be everyone's cup of tea, but he is doing more for the USA than Joe Biden ever did. His country has lost productive capacity, and he is fighting to get it back. South Africa gave its productivity to the Chinese and will never get it back. Take a look at the hash that Keir Starmer is brewing up in the UK. Reflect on the lack of leadership we have from our own President. Chitanga says that Africa needs genuine friendship and solidarity. Well then, don't side with your friends' enemies. Say goodbye to Iran. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Trump has inherited a demoralised nation. The USA doesn't need to be told what to do by small countries that welcome Russian warships. It doesn't need to be criticised by discredited bodies such as UNICEF. It will not listen to UN delegates representing terrorist-leaning countries. So yes, Mr Chitanga, it would be good for South Africa to 'consolidate its relationship with China through the Forum on Africa-China Cooperation, but beware, Chinese businesses are operating here and in other African countries, staffed almost exclusively by Chinese nationals. No BEE for them. C Richards Craighall
Eyewitness News
9 hours ago
- Eyewitness News
Zelensky says will meet Trump in Washington Monday
KYIV - Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky will head to Washington on Monday to discuss "ending the killing and the war" with US President Donald Trump, he announced Saturday. Zelensky said so after holding a call with Trump, during which the US leader informed him about the "main points" of his talks with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska. "On Monday, I will meet with President Trump in Washington, D.C., to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war," Zelensky said. "I am grateful for the invitation." Zelensky said he had a "long and substantive conversation with Trump", which began as a one-on-one talk, before being joined by European leaders. The Washington meeting is set to take place three days after Trump's talks with Putin in Alaska ended with no ceasefire announcement or apparent breakthrough to end Moscow's more than three-year-long invasion. The day after the US-Russia summit, Zelensky called for Kyiv's European allies to be involved at "every stage" of talks. He also reiterated that he would be ready for a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin -- something that Kyiv has been pushing for but which the Kremlin has been resisting. "Ukraine emphasises that key issues can be discussed at the level of leaders, and a trilateral format is suitable for this," Zelensky said.
