European Union leaders say they are ready for “every scenario” after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to raise tariffs on European cars and trucks. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made the remarks after Trump said he would increase levies on EU vehicles from 15% to 25%, arguing the EU is not implementing a trade deal agreed last year. Von der Leyen rejects the allegation, saying “a deal is a deal,” and that both sides are implementing the agreement while following their respective democratic procedures.
The sources also note that the European Parliament has given conditional approval to the EU-U.S. trade pact, but that final approval and negotiations with member states are still under way. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic is scheduled to meet the U.S. Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, in Paris to discuss the dispute. Greer has complained about what he described as a slow EU approval process and about potential amendments that could “limit the deal.” The overall issue centers on whether the EU is fully applying the agreed terms and how the U.S. responds if it believes implementation is delayed.
