Latest news with #Šefčovič
Euractiv
7 days ago
- Business
- Euractiv
EU trade chief heads to Washington for a new round of trade talks
A technical team from the European Commission – which leads on trade for the 27-country bloc – had already travelled to Washington this week for more talks with US officials. Euractiv is part of the Trust Project AFP Jul 16, 2025 14:39 2 min. read News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The EU's top trade negotiator Maroš Šefčovič is jetting to Washington on Wednesday for talks with his US counterparts as the bloc renews its push to settle the transatlantic tariffs stand-off. "Šefčovič is flying to DC this afternoon, for separate in-person meetings" with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, said European Commission trade spokesman Olof Donald Trump threw months of EU-US talks into disarray over the weekend by threatening a 30 percent levy on European goods from 1 August if the transatlantic allies don't strike a deal. Leading up to Saturday's missive, Brussels thought it was on the cusp of closing a deal with Washington, but EU officials remain hopeful they can reach an agreement by the end of the month. More talks A technical team from the European Commission – which leads on trade for the 27-country bloc – had already travelled to Washington this week for more talks with US officials. The EU has until now sought to tackle trade tensions with the United States through negotiations but has prepared retaliatory tariffs if no deal is made. On Monday, Brussels shared with EU states a list of US goods worth 72 billion euros that could be hit by levies – with several capitals urging the bloc this week to toughen its stance. The 202-page document seen by AFP lists big-ticket items like US-made aircraft, cars, chemicals and electrical equipment alongside various other items, such as live bees, camels, parrots, condoms, and opium. (vib)
RTÉ News
15-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
EU targets Boeing, bourbon for potential tariffs on US goods
The European Commission is targeting €72 billion worth of US goods - from Boeing aircraft and bourbon whiskey to cars - for possible tariffs if trade talks with the US fail. President Donald Trump is threatening a 30% tariff on imports from the EU from 1 August, a level European officials say is unacceptable and would end normal trade between two of the world's largest markets. The list, sent to EU member states and seen by Reuters, pre-dates Mr Trump's move over the weekend to ramp up pressure on the 27-nation bloc and responds instead to US duties on cars and car parts and a 10% baseline tariff. The package also covers chemicals, medical devices, electrical and precision equipment as well as agriculture and food products - a range of fruits and vegetables, along with wine, beer and spirits - valued at €6.35bn. Following a meeting of EU ministers in Brussels yesterday, officials said they were still seeking a deal to avoid Mr Trump's heavy tariff blow. But EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič said those at the meeting expressed unprecedented resolve to protect EU businesses using European countermeasures if negotiations with Washington fail to produce a deal. "The message was (the) strongest I've witnessed since we started the discussion with the US. And therefore we'll negotiate first, but we'll prepare at the same time," he said at a press conference. Mr Šefčovič will talk with US trade representative Jamieson Greer this evening, an EU spokesperson said. "I can confirm that Commissioner Šefčovič will have a call with the United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer this early evening," spokesperson Olof Gill told reporters during a daily EU briefing French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said this morning that Mr Trump's new threat had "the appearance of blackmail", adding the priority was to find a trade agreement but not at the cost of becoming a "a vassal of the United States". Mr Trump has warned Brussels against retaliation, stating that the US would match any new European levies by simply adding them to the 30% rate. The European Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, has not yet specified a tariff rate for the products on its list. EU members will need to approve the package before it is implemented, and there is no specific date set for a vote. The commission would typically hear concerns from EU governments and then proceed with the countermeasures unless 15 countries oppose them. Europe's drinks industry, which is heavily dependent upon the US market, has been lobbying governments to exclude bourbon or any wine and spirits from the EU's list due to fear of retaliation by Washington. France, Spain and Italy have expressed concern over the potential impact on their economies. Alcoholic drinks were removed from the EU's first package of tariffs approved in April. That package on €21bn worth of US goods was immediately suspended to allow room for negotiations. Its suspension has now been extended to 6 August. The Commission initially put forward the second package in May for a public consultation, earmarking some €95bn worth of US goods for countermeasures. It has since been whittled down, though most of the main items have remained.
Euronews
15-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
EU trade ministers discuss €72 billion retaliatory tariffs on US goods
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič presented EU trade ministers gathered in Brussels for an extraordinary meeting on Monday a list of €72 billion worth of US products to be included in a retaliatory tariff drive, as Washington's pressure ramped up over the weekend with the threat of 30% tariffs on EU imports starting on 1 August. 'We must be prepared for all outcomes, including if necessary, well-considered proportionate measures to restore balance in our transatlantic relationship,' Šefčovič said, adding: 'Today the Commission is sharing with the member states the proposal for the second list of goods, accounting of some €72 billion worth of US Imports. They will now have a chance to discuss it.' The list proposed by the Commission, which has been reduced to €72 billion from €95 billion following consultations with EU industries and member states, still needs to be formally adopted by the member states. It targets a wide range of products, including US-made aeroplanes and bourbon. Last Saturday, after weeks of negotiations, US President Donald Trump published on Truth Social a letter sent to the European Commission threatening to impose 30% tariffs on EU imports if no deal is reached by 1 August. Last week, negotiations appeared to have entered the final stretch, with the EU having reluctantly agreed to a baseline tariff of 10% on its imports. Sector-specific exemptions were still being negotiated, with the EU having secured 0% on aircraft and spirits, and some US tariffs just above 10% on agricultural products. 'We were very very close to an agreement in principle,' Danish foreign affairs minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen regretted. The US currently imposes tariffs of 50% on EU steel and aluminium, 25% on cars, and 10% on all EU imports. According to an EU diplomat, EU retaliation could also include export controls on aluminium scrap, which the US needs. But while the EU is flexing its muscles, it continues to prioritise negotiation. 'We remain convinced that our transatlantic relationship deserves a negotiated solution, one that leads to renewed stability and cooperation,' Maroš Šefčovič said before announcing he had a call planned with his US counterparts on Monday late afternoon. On Saturday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a delay in the implementation of an initial retaliatory measure targeting €21 billion worth of US products, which had been suspended until Tuesday. According to the same EU diplomat, a meeting of EU ambassadors had originally decided to postpone it until the end of the year, but Trump's new announcements have made these countermeasures more urgent. They have therefore been postponed until 1 August. Anti-coercion instrument Behind the show of unity displayed on Monday by member states, diplomats are however well aware that complications will arise once a deal with the US is on the table. 'Let's be realistic, we will all have different interpretations,' an official from a member state told Euronews, admitting that once a deal is reached some countries will push for strong retaliation while others will want to avoid escalation, depending on which of their strategic sectors is most hit by the US. France continues to advocate a hard line toward the US, eager to put all the tools at the EU's disposal on the table, including the use of the anti-coercion instrument — the 'nuclear option' of EU trade defence, adopted in 2023. 'This pressure, deliberately applied by the US president in recent days and weeks, is straining our negotiating capacity and must lead us to show that Europe is a power,' French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin said on arrival at the Council. 'Europe is a power when it knows how to demonstrate its ability to respond," Saint-Martin added. 'The US has escalation dominance,' a second EU diplomat told Euronews. On Sunday, von der Leyen ruled out use of the anti-coercion instrument for the time being. 'The anti-coercion is created for extraordinary situations,' she said, adding: 'We are not there yet.' The tool would allow the EU to withdraw licences and intellectual property rights from foreign companies, including US tech giants.
Edmonton Journal
15-07-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
EU vows 'robust' countermeasures if Trump enacts 'unacceptable' 30% tariffs
Article content 'I'm absolutely 100% sure that a negotiated solution is much better than the tension which we might have after the 1st of August,' he told reporters in Brussels on Monday. But he added that 'we must be prepared for all outcomes.' Article content 'I cannot imagine walking away without genuine effort. Having said that, the current uncertainty caused by unjustified tariffs cannot persist indefinitely and therefore we must prepare for all outcomes, including, if necessary, well-considered proportionate countermeasures to restore the balance in our transit static relationship.' Article content The letters to the EU and others come in the midst of an on-and-off Trump threat to impose tariffs on countries and right an imbalance in trade. Article content Trump imposed tariffs in April on dozens of countries, before pausing them for 90 days to negotiate individual deals. As the three-month grace period ended this week, he began sending tariff letters to leaders, but again has pushed back the implementation day for what he says will be just a few more weeks. Article content Article content If he moves forward with the tariffs, it could have ramifications for nearly every aspect of the global economy. The American Chamber of Commerce in the European Union, an influential industry group representing major American corporations in Europe, said the tariffs could 'generate damaging ripple effects across all sectors of the EU and U.S. economies' and praised the EU's delay of countermeasures. Article content In the wake of the new tariffs, European leaders largely closed ranks, calling for unity but also a steady hand to not provoke further acrimony. Article content Just last week, Europe was cautiously optimistic. Article content Officials told reporters on Friday they weren't expecting a letter like the one sent Saturday and that a trade deal was to be inked in 'the coming days.' For months, the EU has broadcast that it has strong retaliatory measures ready if talks fail. Article content Article content Reeling from successive rebukes from Washington, Šefčovič said Monday the EU is 'doubling down on efforts to open new markets' and pointed to a new economic agreement with Indonesia as one. Article content The EU top brass will visit Beijing fora summit later this month while courting other Pacific nations like South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia, whose prime minister visited Brussels over the weekend to sign a new economic partnership with the EU. It also has mega-deals in the works with Mexico and a trading bloc of South American nations known as Mercosur, and Šefčovič will meet with his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates next week. Article content While meeting with Indonesia's president on Sunday, Von der Leyen said that 'when economic uncertainty meets geopolitical volatility, partners like us must come closer together.'
Euronews
14-07-2025
- Business
- Euronews
The EU advances its retaliation to US tariffs
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič presented EU trade ministers gathered in Brussels for an extraordinary meeting on Monday a list of €72 billion worth of US products to be included in a retaliatory tariff drive, as US pressure ramped up over the weekend with the threat of 30% tariffs on EU imports starting on 1 August. 'We must be prepared for all outcomes, including if necessary, well-considered proportionate measures to restore balance in our transatlantic relationship,' Šefčovič said, adding: 'Today the Commission is sharing with the member states the proposal for the second list of goods, accounting of some €72 billion worth of US Imports. They will now have a chance to discuss it.' The list proposed by the Commission, which has been reduced from €72 billion to €95 billion after consultation of EU industries and member states, still has to be adopted formally by the member states. It targets a wide range of products including US aeroplanes and Bourbon whiskey. On 12 July, after weeks of negotiations, US President Donald Trump published on Truth Social a letter sent to the Commission threatening to impose 30% tariffs on EU imports if no deal is reached by 1 August. Last week, negotiations appeared to have entered the final stretch, with the EU having reluctantly agreed to a baseline tariff of 10% on its imports. Sector-specific exemptions were still needing to be negotiated, the EU having managed to secure 0% on aircraft and spirits and some US tariffs just above 10% on agri-products. 'We were very very close to an agreement in principle,' Danish foreign affairs minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen regretted. The US currently imposes 50% on EU steel and aluminium, 25% on cars and 10% on all EU imports. According to an EU diplomat, EU retaliation could also include export controls on aluminium scrap, which the US needs. But while the EU is flexing its muscles, it continues to prioritise negotiation. 'We remain convinced that our transatlantic relationship deserves a negotiated solution, one that leads to renewed stability and cooperation,' Maroš Šefčovič said before announcing he had a call planned with his US counterparts on Monday late afternoon. On 13 July, the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a delay in the implementation of an initial retaliatory measure targeting €21 billion worth of American products, which had been suspended until 15 July. According to the same EU diplomat, a meeting of EU ambassadors had originally decided to postpone it until the end of the year, but Trump's new announcements have made these countermeasures more urgent. They have therefore been postponed until 1 August. Anti-coercion instrument Behind the show of unity displayed on Monday by member states, diplomats are however well aware that complications will arise once a deal with the US is on the table. 'Let's be realistic we will all have different interpretations,' an official from a member states told Euronews, admitting that once a deal is reached some countries will push for strong retaliation while others will want to avoid escalation, depending on which of their strategic sectors is most hit by the US. France continues to advocate a hard line toward the US, eager to put all the tools at the EU's disposal on the table, including the use of the anti-coercion instrument — the 'nuclear option' of EU trade defence, adopted in 2023. 'This pressure, deliberately applied by the US president in recent days and weeks, is straining our negotiating capacity and must lead us to show that Europe is a power,' French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin said on arrival at the Council, adding: 'Europe is a power when it knows how to demonstrate its ability to respond.' 'The US has escalation dominance,' a second EU diplomat told Euronews. On Sunday Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen ruled out use of the anti-coercion instrument for the time being. 'The anti-coercion is created for extraordinary situations,' she said, adding: 'We are not there yet.' The tool would allow the EU to withdraw licences and intellectual property rights from foreign companies including US tech giants.
