Whilst the European Commission is still in search of a compromise with the US administration on the operational working method to discuss the transatlantic trade friction and to ensure permanent exemption for the EU from the US customs duties on steel and aluminium, Germany and France are trying hard to appease tension with Washington, as illustrated by the separate phonecalls on Tuesday 27 March between Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and France's President Emmanuel Macron with US President Donald Trump.
Trump and Merkel spoke "to reaffirm the cooperative relationship between the United States and Germany", the White House stated in a press release, saying that the two leaders had discussed "joining forces to counter China’s unfair economic practices and illegal acquisition of intellectual property", as well as "levelling the playing field on tariffs".
In the episode of high tension that preceded the entry into force, on 23 March, of the US taxes on imports of steel and aluminium, from which the EU is exempt until 1 May (see EUROPE 11988), Germany's Economy Minister Peter Altmaier went to Washington before European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström to argue Europe's case (see EUROPE 11984).
On Tuesday, Trump also spoke to Macron about trade between the USA and EU, and the "next steps in addressing China's unfair trade practices", according to another White House press release.
Macron stated that "the EU's exports of steel and aluminium are not a threat for the USA's national security and should not (therefore) be hit by further customs duties", the Elysée stated in a press release. The French president also underlined "the need to strengthen the international trade rules to ensure fair competition in world trade".
The previous day, Malmström and US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross – who have opened a dialogue process between the Commission and Trump administration on "issues of common interest" including the fight against overcapacity in steel and aluminium (see EUROPE 11986) – again spoke about the operational working method to be chosen, the Commission stated, giving assurances that other contact would take place in the coming week (see EUROPE 11990). (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)