Trade tensions between the European Union (EU) and the United States have escalated after fresh tariff threats from US President Donald Trump, prompting urgent talks between top officials.
Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s trade commissioner, is set to meet Jamieson Greer on Tuesday. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of a G7 ministerial gathering in Paris.
The discussions follow Trump’s announcement on Friday that the US plans to raise tariffs on EU vehicle imports to 25 per cent starting this week. He also accused the EU of failing to comply with a prior trade agreement.
The European Union has rejected the allegation, maintaining that it remains committed to the deal and ongoing negotiations.
EU spokesperson Thomas Regnier said engagement between both sides was continuing across multiple levels. He added that the European Parliament had granted conditional approval to the EU-US trade pact.
“Since day one, we are implementing the joint statement, and we’re fully committed to delivering on our shared commitments,” Regnier said.
He noted that further negotiations with EU member states are required before a final agreement can be implemented.
Regnier also stated that the EU had kept the US fully informed throughout the process and was working to reassure its counterpart that progress was being made.
While the EU said it was keeping all options open, it did not confirm whether the proposed tariffs had taken effect. Regnier emphasised that the bloc would not escalate tensions, focusing instead on implementation efforts.
