EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic hopes after talks with his US colleagues in Washington to still be able to avert a trade conflict with the United States. This is reported by the news agency dpa on February 20. "We are seeking constructive dialogue to avoid unnecessary pain from measures and countermeasures. Therefore, the genuine exchange we had yesterday was important," Sefcovic said on February 20 in Washington. According to his own statements, he had exchanged views for about four hours with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Kevin Hassett, the economic advisor to US President Donald Trump.
“It is important that we create a positive dynamic in our discussion,” emphasized Sefcovic. “If we are affected by unfair import tariffs, we will react decisively and proportionately and be prepared,” he warned. However, the goal is to prevent this. The discussions also covered the topic of cars. Trump regularly expresses anger about the EU's import tariffs for US cars. Tariffs of 2.5 percent are due on the way to the USA - but ten percent on the way to Europe. Sefcovic said he had emphasized again in discussions with his US colleagues that US tariffs were much higher for the pickups and commercial vehicles popular in the USA.
Discussions about VAT and Liquefied Gas
Trump signed an order last week to increase tariffs wherever the US currently demands less than its trading partners. It does not matter whether it involves strategic competitors like China or allies like the European Union, according to the White House. The US tariffs have not yet come into effect. Instead, the responsible authorities are to identify the affected countries and impose country-specific tariffs based on this. The affected countries are invited to negotiate with Trump to avert the US tariffs, it was said.
Trump is targeting not only tariffs, but also other trade barriers such as taxes on American companies, value-added taxes, state subsidies, or regulations. With regard to the value-added tax, Sefcovic said: “It is a topic on the table, we have discussed it, and I cannot say that we have resolved this issue.” He emphasized that the tax is paid by the end consumer and not by U.S. companies. This is something they have tried to explain to the Americans. He is more optimistic about the topic of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Europe is interested in expanding American exports.
