Brussels, 7 Apr. (LaPresse) – ‘The US tariffs first and foremost entail immense costs for us, consumers and companies, but at the same time they have a huge impact on the global economy. Developing countries are particularly affected, and this is an important turning point for the United States. However, we are ready to negotiate with the US, in fact, we have offered zero for zero tariffs for industrial goods, as we have successfully done with many other trading partners, because Europe is always ready for a good deal. So we are keeping it on the table, but we are also ready to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests.’ This was stated by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at a press briefing with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Gahr Støre, in Brussels. ‘The offer has been made in the past and repeatedly, for example, in the automotive sector, but there has been no adequate response to it. So for a long time, we have had a stalemate with other countries that also have a strong automotive sector,’ he explains. ’And then, as I said, all the tools are on the table. So there is a variety of tools. You mentioned one that is a vehicle, but all the different tools are on the table, and we have to see how the negotiations go and then decide which tool we are using.’
© Copyright LaPresse
