EU commissioner suggests broad cuts to tariffs with US

A Levi's clothing outlet store is seen on the day President Donald Trump placed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports and European Union responded by warning that it would target iconic American brands such as Levi's on May 31, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (AFP)
Updated 25 July 2018
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EU commissioner suggests broad cuts to tariffs with US

  • European Commission President travels to Washington for talks focused on trade tensions after the US imposition of tariffs on EU steel and aluminum
  • The bloc could try to seek a wide reduction of tariffs in negotiations with the United States this year

BERLIN: The European Union’s budget commissioner, Guenther Oettinger, said on Wednesday the bloc could try to seek a wide reduction of tariffs in negotiations with the United States this year.
“In this way, we want to avoid a further escalation of the trade conflict, and to avoid a trade war,” Oettinger, a German, told Deutschlandfunk radio.
“One could try to untangle the existing tariffs and then ... reduce tariffs for various goods and services.”
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker travels to Washington on Wednesday for talks focused on trade tensions after the US imposition of tariffs on EU steel and aluminum and US President Donald Trump’s threats to extend those measures to European cars.
On Monday, the Commission said Juncker would not arrive in the United States for the talks with Trump with a specific trade offer.