The delay in the application of new tariff measures announced by Washington in the context of the Airbus dispute at the WTO offers an opportunity, albeit limited, to conclude a mini-transatlantic trade agreement, Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan told journalists on Wednesday 19 February.
These new measures, mainly an increase in tariff duties from 10% to 15% on imports of European aircraft, were announced on 14 February to be implemented on 18 March (see EUROPE 12427/10).
The hoped-for agreement, which reportedly remains within the limits of the existing negotiating mandates, is structured around three distinct components. With regard to trade, the parties are engaged on several tracks: - the abolition of customs duties on industrial products, including cars (European tariffs are higher than those of the United States); - certain non-controversial sanitary and phytosanitary measures with a view to simplifying the authorisation procedures for importing certain products, in accordance with the respective regulations in force.
Energy is another aspect of these talks, especially imports of US liquefied natural gas, as well as technology, which will mainly take the form of a dialogue on new technologies, including 5G.
European Parliament to the rescue
A delegation from the European Parliament’s Trade Committee will also be on a mission to Washington from 24 to 27 February. Led by its chairman, Bernd Lange (S&D, Germany), it will meet with members of Congress and officials in the Commerce Department, with a view to “working to ease [transatlantic] trade tensions”, according to a press release. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)