EU Wants To Resume Trade Talks With U.S. On Steel And Aluminum Tariffs

　　New EU Trade Commissioner Irishman Phil Hogan said he will work to restore EU / U.S. Trade relations on a number of controversial issues, with steel and aluminum tariffs being important topics in his first meeting with the U.S. Trade Representative in January 2020 .

　　In mid-2018, the Trump administration imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Europe. The same approach has been taken for US $ 7.5 billion worth of EU products due to controversy over subsidies by European aircraft maker Airbus (Airbus: PA: Quotes). At the same time, France has banned its digital services tax.

　　Ho Phil Hogan said that we agreed to meet in Washington in mid-January to discuss a long list of issues that have caused tensions between the EU and the United States. Unless we agree on a common trade agenda, it is meaningless to discuss the details of resolving trade disputes

　　The threat of U.S. tariffs is a response to European digital taxes, and he will try to restart EU / US trade relations on tariff issues such as steel and aluminum.

　　Both sides are speculating whether they will try to reach an agreement to eliminate all import tariffs, but they are deadlocked on the issue of agricultural products. Washington says agricultural products must be included, while Brussels says it has no ability to include them on the agenda.

　　The European Commission has said that the association will take concerted action on US plans to impose tariffs on French goods. And the United States this month threatened to raise EU-wide tariffs in response to the differences between the two parties over Airbus, which would make the resolution more difficult to reach.