French Finance Minister: EU and the US "Still Far From Reaching an Agreement"

Francois Lombard, France's finance minister, said on Thursday that the EU and the US were "still far from reaching an agreement" on the issue of tariffs, as the EU is seeking solutions to resolve the trade conflict initiated by Donald Trump.

"We will not hide the fact that there is still a long way to go before we reach an agreement," said Lombard. He made these remarks while attending the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington. During an interview, he also mentioned that his discussions with US officials were "friendly".

As part of the trade war initiated by Trump, Washington has imposed an additional 10% tariff on European products entering the US. Trump plans to increase this surcharge to 20%. It also imposes a 25% tariff on steel, aluminum, and cars.

Francois Lombard stated that this week he met with Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik, and during the meeting of finance ministers in Washington, he met with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bechtel.

"I sense that our American counterparts are eager to take action soon," said the French finance minister. He added that Europeans were described as "friends and allies" in these negotiations. "It's better to say it than not to say it," he emphasized.

Eric Lombard noted that the exchanges with Howard Lutnik during their meeting were commendable and could help eliminate obstacles between both sides. He added, "We are looking for issues where we can make effective progress," and confirmed that he was working to break free from a situation that had become somewhat stagnant.

Lombard stated that new tariffs mainly affect the US economy. "We hope this impact will push the government to make comprehensive adjustments." He stressed, "We hope tariffs return to previous levels, and if possible, even lower."

The minister also pointed out that the atmosphere has changed since his last visit to Washington with French President Emmanuel Macron. For weeks, the EU has been striving to find solutions to resolve the trade disputes triggered after Trump returned to the White House.

Source: rfi

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830327550017545/

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