EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan arrived in Washington on Thursday 6 February to meet, among others, his counterpart, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. An emergency visit in the context of a transatlantic relationship that is still under high tension.
"This is part of the regular bilateral meetings held at the political and technical level as part of the discussions for an agenda, a positive bilateral trade agenda, which was launched in July 2018. This process was illustrated by a meeting between President von der Leyen and President Trump in Davos", a Commission spokesman said on Thursday 6 February.
While the European Commission therefore denies any rushed visit, this trip was not on the Commissioner's official agenda, and he therefore had to cancel other commitments.
The visit comes as the publication of the revised list of European products subject to tariff measures on American soil is expected in February. These sanctions are being applied by Washington in the context of the dispute over aid granted to the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus (see EUROPE 12392/18).
Concern is indeed growing on the Old Continent - and not only among the member countries of the Airbus consortium (in addition to the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and France). On February 6, the conservative media outlet Washington Examiner published a call to spare Italian products from this new series of sanctions, as these products are considered unfairly - and harshly - targeted. Indeed, iconic agrifood products, particularly wines and sparkling wines, could be severely affected.
Also on the agenda of Mr Hogan's various official meetings is the search for avenues and compromises to advance the "positive" trade agenda between the two parties. In Davos, US President Donald Trump once again threatened tariff sanctions on cars if the EU did not grant better access to US agricultural products (see EUROPE 12409/22).
Concessions against which European Parliament Trade Committee Chair Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany) had expressed indignation earlier in the week (see EUROPE 12418/16), arguing that the US was not fulfilling its part of the Transatlantic Roadmap contract. Quite the opposite, in fact: on 8 February, US tariffs on steel and aluminium will be extended to derivative products (see EUROPE 12414/16), thus breaking the promise not to apply new tariff sanctions to the EU.
It should also be remembered that, at Davos, President Trump and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, promised to meet in Washington soon. However, the date of Mrs von der Leyen's visit has not yet been specified. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)