France and Germany lead downbeat EU response to US trade deal
Leaders from the two largest economies in Europe led to a sign of gloomy reactions to the trade agreement between EU chief Ursula von Der Leyen and US President Donald Trump.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that the agreement would “greatly harm the country’s finance,” French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said it was equivalent to “delivery”.
The reaction was retreated throughout the block – but a few capitals admitted that signing an unequal agreement was worth it to prevent a All -External War.
Most of the EU exports to the US will see a 15% tariff – half of the ratio threatened by Trump – the purchase of more American energy in exchange for Europe and reduces taxes in some imports.
Trump described the agreement as a “great agreement” after private talks on the Turnberry Golf Field in Scotland, while Trump said he would “bring together” the US and the EU.
The agreement will require the approval of 27 members of the EU, each of which has different interests and confidence levels for the export of goods to the United States.
Although no member state aimed to prevent it from entering into force, there was little celebration among European leaders.
Merz warned that the US and European economies will be negatively affected, but Brussels’ negotiation team said that he could “expect more” against a US president who was determined to re -balance relations with large trade partners.
“The alliance of the free peoples is a dark day in which the alliance of free peoples is brought together to confirm their common values and defend their common interests.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Trump’s close ally said that the US president “eats von der leyen for breakfast”.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would support “without any enthusiasm”.
There was some relief that an agreement was made in Europe.
Finland Prime Minister said that he would provide “highly needed predictability”, and Irish Trade Minister Simon Harris said that “the necessary for work, growth and investment”.
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who defended the conditions at a press conference on Monday, said this was the “best agreement we can get under very difficult conditions”.
He also pointed out the safety results of the maintenance of sincere trade relations with the US in the context of the Ukrainian War.
He said that Europe and the US came with a “additional price” by guaranteeing that today’s geopolitical issues are followed.
In the weeks that developed the latest EU-US negotiations, there was an increasing appetite among some European leaders to increase the pressure on Trump by using anti-Kepçki measures that would prevent US companies from accessing European markets.
But as 30% of tariffs approached, an agreement on behalf of the EU members – one will still bring an economic blow, but a less violent agreement that is feared when Trump threatens import taxes.
Von der leyen had tried to present successfully on Sunday – but until Monday, the leader of the European People’s Party Manfred Weber described it as “damage control”.
While the extensive draft of the agreement is accepted, the details will be completed after technical interviews.
The first business response in the Atlantic did not similar enthusiasm. The Washington DC -based National Foreign Trade Council said that any agreement that avoids a trade war was “welcome progress”.
However, any “short -term earnings” from a 15% tariff “ultimately isolated the United States” from a major ally, and that confidence in the long run in the long term “warned.
He said that the previously non -tariff regime allowed industries, including aviation and medicine, “on both sides”.
The first agreement framework, “discriminatory digital agenda” and “unfair pharmaceutical repayment policies”, including what is called “a series of disturbing EU policies,” he said.
He said that the US hoped that the US will continue to print to “to eliminate discriminatory and unfair obstacles” to the EU.
