US trade talks on track but metals tariffs unhelpful

RTÉ News​

2 days ago

Trade talks between the European Union and the United States are moving in the right direction, the two sides' main negotiators have said.
However, the EU said the doubling of US tariffs on metals did not help with the negotiations.
The increase on steel and aluminium imports - from 25% to 50% - took effect on the same day that President Donald Trump's administration wants trading partners to make "best offers" to avoid other punishing levies from early July.
Meanwhile, in another sign of disruption to global trade, concerns about the damage from China's restrictions on critical mineral exports deepened, with some European auto parts plants suspending output and German carmaker BMW warning that its supplier network was affected by shortages.
In terms of tariff talks, EU negotiator Maroš Šefčovič said that a meeting with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris was constructive.
"We both concluded that we are advancing in the right direction, at pace," Mr Šefčovič told reporters.
Technical talks are ongoing in Washington, he added, and high-level contacts will follow.
"What makes me optimistic is I see the progress ... the discussions are now very concrete," Mr Šefčovič said.
He stressed that he and Mr Greer had agreed to restructure the focus of their talks after having been "approaching it from different angles".
Mr Greer said the talks had been constructive, adding in a statement from his office that they demonstrated "a willingness by the EU to work with us to find a concrete way forward to achieve reciprocal trade".
Mr Šefčovič said that he deeply regretted the doubling of tariffs, stressing that the EU has the same challenge - overcapacity - as the US on steel, and they should work together on that.
Separately, President Trump described his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with".
"I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," the US leader posted on Truth Social.
The comments come days after President Trump accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions and after the White House raised expectations for a long-awaited phone call between the two leaders this week.
A US trade court ruled last week that Mr Trump had overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act.
Less than 24 hours later, an appeals court reinstated the levies while it considers a government's appeal.
US officials have been in talks with several countries since President Trump announced a pause on tariff hikes in April.
However, only one - with the UK - has materialised and even that pact is essentially a preliminary framework for more talks.
But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was confident that US tariffs on UK steel would be reduced to zero within a "couple of weeks".
Pressure is mounting as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a 38-nation grouping of mostly developed countries, cut its global growth forecast on the back of the levies.
Trade, consumption and investment have been affected by the tariffs, its Chief Economist Alvaro Pereira said, warning that the US economy will see the biggest repercussions.
Mexico will request an exemption from the higher levies, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said, arguing that it is unfair because the US exports more steel to his country than it imports.
"It makes no sense to put a tariff on a product in which you have a surplus," Mr Ebrard said.
Elsewhere, uncertainty around US trade policy is creating havoc for businesses around the world.
French spirits group Remy Cointreau abandoned its 2030 sales growth ambitions, saying tariffs, slow US sales and high uncertainty could derail its plans for this financial year and beyond.
Austrian speciality steelmaker Voestalpine also warned that levies were likely to dent its earnings.
"US producers will try to find suppliers that are not affected by the tariffs. If they find one, the German supplier is probably out," said German steel and metal processing association WSM, which represents around 5,000 companies.
"Nobody has the margins to absorb these bottomless tariffs," according to WSM Managing Director Christian Vietmeyer.