US and EU Trade Talks to Resume After Two-Month Hiatus Amid Ongoing Disagreements Over Tariffs
High-level trade talks between the United States and European Union are set to resume next week in Brussels, marking a two-month pause aimed at resolving contentious issues surrounding their July tariff deal. The resumption of negotiations comes as Washington officials express frustration with the EU's slow pace of implementation on the agreement, which is not legally binding.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with top EU officials, ministers, and industry leaders to discuss outstanding sticking points, including tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as levies on food and drink products. The face-to-face talks are a significant development, following a six-week U.S. government shutdown that began in October.
The ongoing tensions have been fueled by the EU's slow pace of implementing the July agreement, which imposed a 15% levy on most EU imports into the US. Several member states, including France and Ireland, have expressed concerns over the impact of these tariffs on wine and spirits, as well as whiskey production.
Industry insiders say persuading the U.S. to exempt steel derivatives from the original deal struck in July is a top priority. The U.S. has proposed listing 407 products with an element of steel, which would face separate tariffs, and has indicated plans to add another 700 products to this list.
The EU's "ringfencing" proposal to protect domestic steel industries against cheaper Chinese imports could also be on the agenda for discussion. Brussels hopes that this initiative will persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to slash his 50% tariffs on EU steel, which has been a major point of contention between the two parties.
As negotiations resume, it remains to be seen whether the EU and US can reach a mutually acceptable agreement, or if further tensions will arise from their ongoing trade disputes.
High-level trade talks between the United States and European Union are set to resume next week in Brussels, marking a two-month pause aimed at resolving contentious issues surrounding their July tariff deal. The resumption of negotiations comes as Washington officials express frustration with the EU's slow pace of implementation on the agreement, which is not legally binding.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with top EU officials, ministers, and industry leaders to discuss outstanding sticking points, including tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as levies on food and drink products. The face-to-face talks are a significant development, following a six-week U.S. government shutdown that began in October.
The ongoing tensions have been fueled by the EU's slow pace of implementing the July agreement, which imposed a 15% levy on most EU imports into the US. Several member states, including France and Ireland, have expressed concerns over the impact of these tariffs on wine and spirits, as well as whiskey production.
Industry insiders say persuading the U.S. to exempt steel derivatives from the original deal struck in July is a top priority. The U.S. has proposed listing 407 products with an element of steel, which would face separate tariffs, and has indicated plans to add another 700 products to this list.
The EU's "ringfencing" proposal to protect domestic steel industries against cheaper Chinese imports could also be on the agenda for discussion. Brussels hopes that this initiative will persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to slash his 50% tariffs on EU steel, which has been a major point of contention between the two parties.
As negotiations resume, it remains to be seen whether the EU and US can reach a mutually acceptable agreement, or if further tensions will arise from their ongoing trade disputes.
trade talks r resumming in brussels nxt wk!! 
i hope they can figger out those tariffs lol 
like wut's up w/ the EU's slow pace of implementation tho? 
anyhoo, fingers crossed 4 a successful negotiation 
and not another gov shutdown 
wanna see them persuadin the US 2 exempt steel derivs from the original deal 
. I mean come on 407 products with an element of steel? Thats like trying to pin down a slippery fish 
. And dont even get me started on the EU's ringfencing proposal, sounds like theyre just trying to create more red tape 
. But you know what, Im not surprised 
. These trade talks have been going on for ages and we're still no closer to finding a solution 
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. And don't even get me started on the tariffs... steel derivatives this, and wine and spirits that 
. Can't they just agree on something already?! The U.S. wants to exempt some products, but the EU's "ringfencing" proposal is a total buzzkill for China 
. I swear, trade talks are like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole... someone steps on one issue, and another pops up in its place 
. Can we just have a straightforward agreement already?! 
. And can we please, pretty please with a steel tariff on it, resolve this issue without any more drama? 
. Both sides are so entrenched in their positions, it's hard to see how they're gonna find common ground. The EU's "ringfencing" proposal sounds like a solid idea, but I'm not sure if Trump's got that level of flexibility 
. They need to figure out how to address the US concerns about steel derivatives, 'cause that's a major sticking point right now 
. The US and EU need to find common ground, stat! 
I mean, 407 products with steel? That's a lot of tariffs to sift through 
And what about the wine and spirits stuff? France and Ireland are all like "hold up, let us talk about this" 
But seriously, it feels like we're stuck in some kind of trade game of chicken 
Can't they just find a way to work together here? 
I guess that's the thing – finding common ground with Trump and his...let's say "unique" perspective 
meanwhile, u.s. wants to exempt steel derivatives from the original deal but eu's trying to protect domestic steel industries... i dont know what the solution is 
! The EU's slow pace of implementation on the July tariff deal is totally understandable tho 
. Everyone needs time to work out the kinks, right? 
Let's hope that by the end of this meeting, both sides can find common ground and come up with a mutually beneficial solution 
. No pressure, but it'd be awesome if they could iron out those sticking points on tariffs for steel, aluminum, food, drink products, etc 
. The EU's "ringfencing" proposal might just do the trick to get that 50% tariff slash from Trump 
. Fingers crossed it all works out and we can look forward to some smooth sailing in US-EU trade talks 
!
. It's like, I get that the US wants to protect its industries, but come on, it's a global market 
. And France and Ireland are already getting a bit frustrated over the wine and spirits stuff 
. And then there's the US wanting to list 407 products with an element of steel... that sounds like a total headache 
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. But I gotta say, I'm rooting for the EU on this one 
also did u know that the EU has a really cool train system 
Omg I'm so tired of these ongoing trade talks 
Can't they just agree on something already? 
. And don't even get me started on the tariffs 
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. Fingers crossed! 
can't we just make better stuff that doesn't need tariffs, ya feel?