Trump, EU chief to meet Sunday in push for trade deal

15 hours ago 5
US President Donald Trump's vist to Scotland was billed arsenic  a play  circuit  but helium  volition  present  besides  conscionable   EU Commission president   Ursula von der Leyen to speech   commercialized   and tariffsUS President Donald Trump's vist to Scotland was billed arsenic a play circuit but helium volition present besides conscionable EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen to speech commercialized and tariffs. Photo: Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
Source: AFP

EU main Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump said Friday they would conscionable successful Scotland this play successful a decisive propulsion to resoluteness a months-long transatlantic commercialized standoff.

In a thrust to slash his country's commercialized deficits, Trump has vowed to deed dozens of countries with punitive tariff hikes if they bash not hammer retired a pact with Washington by August 1.

The EU -- which is facing an across-the-board levy of 30-percent -- has been pushing hard for a woody with Trump's administration, portion besides readying retaliation should talks autumn short.

Von der Leyen archetypal announced the meeting, penning connected X: "Following a bully telephone with POTUS, we person agreed to conscionable successful Scotland connected Sunday to sermon transatlantic commercialized relations, and however we can support them strong."

Arriving connected UK ungraded precocious Friday, Trump confirmed helium would conscionable the caput of the European Commission, which has been negotiating with Washington connected behalf of the 27-nation bloc.

"I'll beryllium gathering with the EU connected Sunday, and we'll beryllium moving connected a deal," helium told reporters arsenic helium touched down astatine Prestwick Airport adjacent Glasgow.

"Ursula volition beryllium present -- a highly respected woman. So we look guardant to that," Trump said.

"We'll spot if we marque a deal," added the president -- who reiterated earlier comments saying the accidental of a woody was "50-50", with sticking points remaining connected "maybe 20 antithetic things."

"But we're gathering ... with the European Union. And that would be, actually, the biggest woody of them all, if we marque it," helium said.

The high-level gathering follows months of negotiations betwixt apical EU and US commercialized officials, and days of signals suggesting the sides were moving towards an agreement.

According to aggregate European diplomats, the statement nether information would impact a baseline 15-percent US levy connected EU goods -- the aforesaid level secured by Japan this week -- and imaginable carve-outs for captious sectors.

Von der Leyen's spokesperson Paula Pinho said "intensive negotiations" had been taking spot astatine method and governmental level successful the tally up to Sunday's meeting.

"Leaders volition present instrumentality banal and see the scope for a balanced result that provides stableness and predictability for businesses and consumers connected some sides of the Atlantic," she said.

'In Trump's hands'

Hit by aggregate waves of tariffs since Trump reclaimed the White House, the EU is presently taxable to a 25-percent levy connected cars, 50 percent connected alloy and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatens to hike to 30 percent successful a no-deal scenario.

The EU wants to debar sweeping tariffs inflicting further harm connected the European economy -- already suffering from sluggish maturation -- and damaging a trading narration worthy an yearly 1.6 trillion euros ($1.9 trillion) successful goods and services.

EU subordinate states gave the European Commission a mandate to prosecute a woody to debar hefty US tariffs, with retaliation held retired arsenic a past edifice if talks fail.

Seeking to support up the unit successful the last agelong of talks, EU states connected Thursday backed a bundle of retaliation connected $109 cardinal (93 cardinal euros) of US goods including craft and cars -- to footwear successful in stages from August 7 if determination is nary deal.

Von der Leyen hopes to minimise the standard  of Trump's threatened further tariffs connected  EU bully  exports, and possibly  triumph   carve outs for definite  industriesVon der Leyen hopes to minimise the standard of Trump's threatened further tariffs connected EU bully exports, and possibly triumph carve outs for definite industries. Photo: ADEK BERRY / AFP
Source: AFP

Most states similar a woody to nary woody -- adjacent with undesirable levies of 15 percent -- but exemptions are key, with aircraft, steel, lumber, pharmaceutical products and cultivation goods nether discussion, diplomats said.

Concerning steel, diplomats accidental a compromise could let a definite quota to participate the United States, with amounts beyond that taxed astatine 50 percent.

Since launching its tariffs campaign, Trump's medication has truthful acold unveiled conscionable 5 agreements, including with Britain, Japan and the Philippines.

While EU hopes person been rising for a deal, the approaching August 1 deadline besides comes with a consciousness of deja-vu: earlier this month, EU officials besides believed they were connected the cusp of a deal, earlier Trump hiked his tariff menace to 30-percent.

"The last determination is successful the hands of President Trump," an EU diplomat stressed this week.

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Source: AFP

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