Simonak: EU-member States Worried about Proposed 30-percent US Tariffs

Brusselse, 14 July (TASR-correspondent) - Europeans are concerned about potential 30-percent American tariffs, said Economy Ministry State Secretary Vladimir Simonak in Brussels on Monday after an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on trade, TASR learnt from its special correspondent on the same day. Simonak noted that all EU-member states and ministers have seen Trump's letter regarding the potential introduction of 30-percent tariffs, which don't apply to cars (for which a 27.5-percent tariff is in effect). The secretary added that disappointment over Trump's letter was felt not only among the ministers but also by EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic, who is also the EU's chief negotiator with the Americans. "We were disappointed by the letter because we were convinced that the negotiations were progressing and that an agreement with the USA was near. However, at the moment we're facing the reality that these tariffs will come into effect as of August 1. That doesn't mean, however, that we're ending communication with the US. The negotiations will continue," stated Simonak. The secretary explained that the Commission has been consulting with EU-member states on countermeasure packages for several months, and he stated that these consultations will now be accelerated. He told TASR that the automotive industry is the top priority in these consultations. "We appreciate that there are partners on the US side with whom technical discussions can be held," he added. lin/df