Slovak EU Commissioner for Trade Sefcovic to Visit USA This Week

Brussels, February 17 (TASR) - Slovak EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic will travel to Washington this week, where he will hold several meetings in an effort to head off a transatlantic trade conflict, a source familiar with the matter has confirmed for TASR under the condition of anonymity, adding that it should involve high-level meetings. According to internet website of Politico weekly, Sefcovic will be the highest-ranking EU figure to visit Washington since US President Donald Trump took office on January 20. Sefcovic is set to hold meetings with senior members of Donald Trump's administration, including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Kevin Hassett, Trump's top economic adviser. An EC spokesperson later confirmed Sefcovic's trip, too. The EU is one of USA's largest economic partners, with more than €1.5 trillion worth of goods and services traded each year, wrote Politico. Trump on Friday (February 14) unveiled a proposal to impose reciprocal tariffs on US trading partners, which he said would come into effect as early as in April. The EC later on Friday denounced Washington's announcement of new tariffs as "a step in the wrong direction". ko/df