European Union proposes removing tariffs on industrial goods to the White House
Following the significant drop in global stock markets, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reassured that "Europe is always ready for a good deal."
Von der Leyen in Brussels
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday that the EU has proposed a deal to the United States to eliminate tariffs on trade in industrial goods.
"We are ready to negotiate with the United States. In fact, we have offered zero tariffs for industrial goods, as we have successfully done with many other trading partners," aid the head of the EU's executive branch.
According to von der Leyen, the proposal had been made "repeatedly," but she noted that it did not receive an "adequate response."
Von der Leyen added that "Europe is always ready for a good deal. So we keep it on the table. But we are also ready to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests."
Over the weekend, billionaire Elon Musk, a U.S. government adviser, expressed in an interview that he had hoped for a Europe-U.S. free trade zone.
In response to the idea, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck suggested that if Musk has something to say, he should go to his president and say "Let's put an end to this nonsense, this mess."
Italy's Antonio Tajani expressed that his "dream" was a "tariff-free transatlantic single market," while France's Laurent Saint-Martin called Musk's statements "a good idea."
Trade commissioner remains on the defensive
"We are prepared to use every tool in our trade defense arsenal to protect our single market, our producers and consumers," Sefcovic said following a meeting of EU trade ministers in Luxembourg.
According to Sefcovic, the European Commission’s priority is to ensure that "we are ready to consider all options. All options are on the table."
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