The European Union has proposed to the US to be excluded from their duties Fully and reciprocal industrial products, in an attempt to avoid a trade war, announced its president CommissionUrsula von der Layen.
“We proposed zero duties for industrial products (…) Europe is always ready to conclude a good deal,” von der Laien said at a press conference in Brussels. But “we are also ready to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests” against Trump’s aggressive trade policy, he warned.
US President Donald Trump is promoting an unprecedented protection policy since the 1930s, increasing customs duties for all countries. 20%duties were imposed on the goods coming from the EU.
The European Commission is trying to negotiate with Washington, while preparing countermeasures if the talks do not bear fruit.
A proposal similar to the zero duties suggested by Ursula von der Laien made a US billionaire and a member of the Trump government Elon Musk on Saturday, talking about a “free trade zone” between Europe and North America. France today welcomed this Musk proposal, with Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Marten talking about a “excellent idea”.
For his part, German Finance Minister Robert Hambeck pointed out the differences between members of the Trump government. “It’s ridiculous,” Elon Musk should tell Donald Trump “to stop the absurdities” and the “confusion” of the trade war, “Hambeck said.