US and EU Trade Negotiations to Resume as Sticking Points Remain Unresolved
The US and European Union are set to restart their trade negotiations next week, with officials from both sides meeting in Brussels for high-level talks. The pause in talks was a two-month hiatus after a six-week US government shutdown, during which time the EU had been frustrated by Washington's slow pace of implementation on the July tariff deal.
The sticking points expected to be discussed at Monday's talks include the continuation of 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as separate tariffs on products with steel elements. The EU has expressed frustration over the US's decision to impose these tariffs, which it believes go against the spirit of the July deal that established a baseline 15% levy on most EU imports into the US.
The issue of wine and spirits is also expected to be on the agenda, with several member states seeking the removal of duties on products such as Cognac and whiskey. The US has imposed these tariffs, which have been particularly damaging to France and Ireland, and Brussels is keen to persuade Washington to lift them.
Industry officials will also be represented at Monday's talks, including the heads of Volkswagen and TotalEnergies, among others. These meetings are seen as crucial in persuading the US that its approach to steel tariffs does not align with the principles of the July deal.
Furthermore, discussions are expected to focus on the ongoing crisis involving chip supply from China, which has had significant implications for both sides. The EU and US will also explore ways to work together to "ringfence" their domestic steel industries and protect against cheaper Chinese imports.
As negotiations resume, officials on both sides are aware of the need to keep the talks focused and avoid individual countries pushing for specific deals. With the prospect of a further 700 products being added to the US list of tariffs, Brussels hopes that steel anti-dumping proposals will persuade Washington to slash its tariffs on EU steel.
The US and European Union are set to restart their trade negotiations next week, with officials from both sides meeting in Brussels for high-level talks. The pause in talks was a two-month hiatus after a six-week US government shutdown, during which time the EU had been frustrated by Washington's slow pace of implementation on the July tariff deal.
The sticking points expected to be discussed at Monday's talks include the continuation of 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as separate tariffs on products with steel elements. The EU has expressed frustration over the US's decision to impose these tariffs, which it believes go against the spirit of the July deal that established a baseline 15% levy on most EU imports into the US.
The issue of wine and spirits is also expected to be on the agenda, with several member states seeking the removal of duties on products such as Cognac and whiskey. The US has imposed these tariffs, which have been particularly damaging to France and Ireland, and Brussels is keen to persuade Washington to lift them.
Industry officials will also be represented at Monday's talks, including the heads of Volkswagen and TotalEnergies, among others. These meetings are seen as crucial in persuading the US that its approach to steel tariffs does not align with the principles of the July deal.
Furthermore, discussions are expected to focus on the ongoing crisis involving chip supply from China, which has had significant implications for both sides. The EU and US will also explore ways to work together to "ringfence" their domestic steel industries and protect against cheaper Chinese imports.
As negotiations resume, officials on both sides are aware of the need to keep the talks focused and avoid individual countries pushing for specific deals. With the prospect of a further 700 products being added to the US list of tariffs, Brussels hopes that steel anti-dumping proposals will persuade Washington to slash its tariffs on EU steel.
i remember my uncle's friend who owns a vineyard in france and he lost like half his business because of those tariffs on wine and spirits 
it's not just about money, it's about people's livelihoods too 
we need to get our heads around this whole chip supply crisis from china...i mean what's next? 
i heard there's talks of a new deal that could be even more complicated than the last one 
gotta keep my eyes on this one
... i feel like it's been ages since we had any updates on this... and now that the US gov shutdown is over, i'm hoping they'll actually get something done 
... 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum are still a big deal for EU countries, especially france and ireland who are getting hit hard by those duties 
... fingers crossed they can figure out a way to lift them or at least work out some kind of compromise 
. But steel tariffs? that's where things get tricky... gotta keep an eye on how this all plays out 
Trade negotiations are always so complex and frustrating! I mean, who doesn't love a good game of tariff-throwing? 
But seriously, the sticking points between the US and EU are really puzzling. 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum seem like such an unnecessary hurdle to overcome...like, can't we just get along over some wine and spirits? 