Almost three months after Donald Trump's inauguration, negotiations between the United States and the European Union (EU) to defuse the trade war has still not started. Contacts certainly exist between the administration of Donald Trump and the committee, competent in terms of trade. But, at this stage, they did not allow, from the point of view of Brussels in any case, to initiate a serious and structured discussion.
Maros Sefcovic, the Commerce Commissioner, noticed him again on Monday, April 14, during a trip to Washington where he has, for the third time since the beginning of 2025, met Howard Lutnick, the US Secretary of Commerce. “Now it is necessary that the United States defines its position”commented Olof Gill, the commission spokesperson, the next day. Before adding: “We need an additional level of engagement” from them “If we want to move forward”.
Since his return to the White House, Donald Trump has multiplied the advertisements of all-round customs duties, before decree, on April 9, a break of eighty days, for everyone except for China. In reality, under pressure from the financial markets, the American president just decided to postpone part of the planned from the planned. New American customs duties continue to impose themselves on imports of steel, aluminum and cars (at 25 %) as well as a very wide range of products (at 10 %).
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Source: Lemonde