The President of the United States, Donald Trump, wants to conclude a transatlantic trade agreement before November 2020, failing which he will do “even better” and impose new duties on imports of European products, he warned at the Davos Forum on Wednesday 22 January.
The day before, however, the Commission had described the first meeting between the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Mr Trump in the margins of the forum as a “friendly exchange of views between allies”. At the end of the meeting, Mrs von der Leyen expressed her eagerness “to work with President Trump on the opportunities and challenges” facing the parties and stated that she was “convinced” that there is scope for mutual engagement on a positive trade agenda as well as on technology, energy “and much more besides”.
These statements were quickly torpedoed by the US President, whose tone against the EU quickly escalated several notches. This reinforces the position of those in Brussels who predicted, in the aftermath of the conclusion of the EU-China trade agreement, that presidential ire could fall on the EU (see EUROPE 12404/22). Europeans “are frankly more difficult to do business with than China”, Trump told reporters on Wednesday 22 January.
However, while the Europeans “refused to talk to Obama”, Trump is keen to get a trade deal from the EU quickly. “ I have a date in my mind, it’s a fairly quick date”, which is before the November presidential elections, he confirmed. And Mr Trump brandished, once again, the tool of tariffs: “if we’re unable to make a deal, we’ll do even better”, i.e, “put 25 percent tariffs on their cars” and on other imports of European goods.
According to the Commission, both sides have agreed to meet soon in Washington to advance the common transatlantic agenda. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)