The Latest: Germany welcomes chance to negotiate US tariffs
BRUSSELS – The Latest on the European Union's summit of leaders (all times local):
1:40 p.m.
Germany's economy minister says he's "happy and relieved" the European Union has obtained a last-minute temporary exemption to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Peter Altmaier told reporters Friday that Germany and the EU will now work on "finding a good solution with all resources" by May 1 — the new deadline.
Altmaier said the EU hadn't granted concessions, adding "when I arrived in Washington, I had the impression that a lot in the U.S. administration had not yet been set in stone."
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas says the result "shows that a resolved EU that speaks one voice is listened to."
He added, however, that the "basic conflict remains" and said Germany would continue to fight for a "fair and regulated trade and for a multilateral world trade system."
___
11:00 a.m.
The European Union leaders say that they want the temporary exemption to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum the tariffs to be made permanent.
The leaders said that the tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump could still impose "cannot be justified on the grounds of national security" and therefore should be scrapped for good.
Despite the temporary exemption, the EU leaders said at Friday's summit that they reserve the right "to respond to the U.S. measures as appropriate and in a proportionate manner."
The EU leaders have also said they want close cooperation with Washington to deal with trade issues from now on.
No comments: