The European Union is the closest ally to the United States on security and trade and that is why we must be excluded from the duties on imports of steel and aluminum that Donald Trump wants. So the EU Commissioner for Trade, Cecilia Malmstroem, at the end of a day of meetings in Brussels.
Malmstroem saw the Minister of Economy and Trade of Japan, Seko Hiroshige, and the US Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer. The meeting had actually been scheduled for some time to discuss China, but after Trump's announcement of the duties became a well-rounded meeting.
At the end of the meetings, the EU Commission issued a note in which it reported that Malmstroem and the Japanese minister expressed to the US representative the "strong EU and Japan concern" for the duties and added that "as a security partner of old US data expect Japan and EU exports to be exempt from higher tariffs ".
In a tweet published almost at the same time by the commissioner: “Day of meetings in Brussels with the Minister of Economy and Trade of Japan Seko Hiroshige and with the US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
I had a sincere and free discussion with the US on the issue that worries us, namely the steel / aluminum duties. As a close partner of the US for security and trade, the EU must be excluded from the announced measures ”. The meeting, however, failed to find clarity on the part of the United States: "There is no immediate clarity on the exact US procedure for the exemption, so discussions will continue next week," Malmstroem said.
Meanwhile, the White House said that Trump, during the phone call he had on Friday with French President Emmanuel Macron, stressed that his decision to impose duties on imports of steel and aluminum "is necessary and appropriate to protect national security" . A glimmer, however, could arise from the fact that the two also discussed "alternative ways to address US concerns.
Macron expressed his "deepest concerns" to Trump about the tariffs, evoking the risk of a "trade war, from which all the countries involved would be losers".
US duties will be 25% on steel imports and 10% on aluminum imports. Trump announced that they would enter into force after 15 days and that initially they will not apply to Canada and Mexico. On Friday, via Twitter, it reported a possible opening also for Australia, citing as a reason not specified "security agreements".