The European Union's trade commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, will travel to Washington, D.C. to negotiate a trade deal with the United States, following the announcement of a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs by President Trump. This pause, however, is viewed as fragile by some European leaders, who point out that other tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles, and a 10% levy on most US imports remain in place.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the 90-day pause as “fragile” and highlighted the continued uncertainty for businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. The EU's economy minister, Valdis Dombrovskis, while welcoming the pause on reciprocal tariffs, noted that Trump's trade policy has created greater unpredictability in the global economic outlook, calling the remaining 10% tariff a significant blow to the global economy. Dombrovskis emphasized Europe's unwillingness to continue the trade confrontation.
The European Union’s trade commissioner will travel to the United States on Sunday in a bid to reach a negotiation, a spokesperson has said, as fallout from Trump’s tariffs escalates.
Maros Sefcovic, the bloc’s trade commissioner, will travel to Washington, DC, to “try and sign deals,” an EU spokesperson told Ireland’s RTE radio Friday morning.
“That is what we are focused on. All options are on the table should that not lead to a good outcome,” Olof Gill, the spokesperson, said.The EU was due to have a hefty 20% tariff slapped on its goods exported to America before US President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on his country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs on Wednesday.
But French President Emmanual Macron labeled the pause “fragile” in a post on X on Friday, noting that Trump’s tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles, as well as a 10% across-the-board levy on most US imports, remain intact.
“This 90-day pause means 90 days of uncertainty for all our businesses, on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond,” Macron said.
“Significant blow”: Elsewhere in Europe, the bloc’s economy minister said Trump’s remaining 10% tariff is a “blow to the global economy.”
Valdis Dombrovskis welcomed Trump’s 90-day pause on the most punishing “reciprocal” tariffs, but said the US president’s trade policy had made the global economic outlook “more unpredictable.”
“Europe did not start this confrontation, and Europe does not want this confrontation,” Dombrovskis said at a news conference in Warsaw, Poland.
This post has been updated with additional details.
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