WASHINGTON: The European Union and United States are far from reaching a deal on tariffs, France’s economy minister said Thursday, as the bloc seeks a way out from trade tensions with Washington.
US President Donald Trump has slapped new 10 percent tariffs on most trading partners since returning to the White House in January, and imposed sharp levies on imports of steel, aluminum and autos.
The EU has not been spared, and a 90-day pause on even higher rates for goods from the bloc is due to expire in early July.
“We’re not going to hide the fact that we’re still a long way from an agreement,“ said French economy minister Eric Lombard in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s spring meetings in Washington.
But he maintained that talks with US officials were warm.
He said he met this week with director of the White House National Economic Council Kevin Hassett, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Lombard noted a desire from his counterparts to “move forward as quickly as possible,“ adding that Europeans have been described as friends and allies in the context of these talks.
But Lombard expects “ups and downs” in negotiations between both sides.
Earlier this year, Trump accused the 27-nation bloc of being created to “screw” the United States.
The White House has also said that Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs” were focused on countries that had been “ripping off” the world’s biggest economy.
