US President Donald Trump said that the US is ready to reduce its tariffs threatening European goods if the EU opens its market further to American companies, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
"If they agree to open the Union to American businesses, we will allow them to pay lower tariffs", the US leader said at an event dedicated to artificial intelligence. He was referring to the ongoing trade negotiations with Brussels. Trump added that serious negotiations are currently underway between the two countries.
The US has been negotiating with the EU for weeks to conclude a trade agreement that would avoid the entry into force of 30 percent tariffs on imports of goods from the EU on August 1.
Meanwhile, yesterday in Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron showed unity and signaled that the EU was ready to respond if negotiations with Washington failed.
German government spokesman Steffen Cornelius said that the two leaders had agreed that the option of imposing additional trade measures would remain on the table in case discussions with the US hit a snag. He added that Merz and Macron were ready, if necessary, to work out further reciprocal measures.
Cornelius indicated that Germany and France intended to act in close coordination with Italy and the European Commission, especially now that negotiations with Washington are in the final stages.
The US president said that the US was in the process of finalizing a trade agreement with China and that he would impose direct tariffs on most other countries in the world, Reuters reported.
Speaking at a conference in Washington dedicated to artificial intelligence, he added that the US was in serious talks with the EU on trade and that it would reduce tariffs on the Union if it opened up to American business.