As is now almost customary, EU Member State trade ministers will be meeting on Thursday 15 May to discuss, among other things, trade relations with the United States. The European Commission will brief them on the status of negotiations between the EU and the US administration. In recent days, Washington has announced an agreement with the UK, followed by one with China, but the EU is still waiting its turn.
The EU27 trade ministers will have the opportunity to present their views on the situation and their priorities. They will be able to respond to the Commission’s proposal to impose a new series of tariffs on American products (see EUROPE 13636/1) if current negotiations fail. In recent weeks, Member States have repeatedly expressed their support for the Commission’s work, both in the negotiations and in preparing countermeasures.
The EU27, like the Commission, are navigating in the dark, while announcements are regularly made on the other side of the Atlantic, which sometimes change the situation. One European diplomat was quick to point out that new US tariff measures could soon be introduced in the aerospace and pharmaceuticals sectors, for example.
On Friday 9 May, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said she was ready to meet US President Donald Trump once a compromise was on the table. A prospect that is still not in sight, and one that looks increasingly difficult to achieve. On Monday 12 May, Mr Trump repeated his comments to the effect that the EU treats the United States “very unfairly”.
Economic security. The ministers will discuss the Commission’s economic security strategy and its various proposals (see EUROPE 13335/1).
This will be an opportunity for the ministers to discuss the regulation on foreign investment screening, on which the Polish Presidency of the EU Council hopes to adopt a Council position at the beginning of July. More work needs to be done on the scope of the text. The EU Council supports restricted screening in principle, and still has to define the precise framework before June. On the other hand, the Commission and the European Parliament are moving in the opposite direction, calling for the widest possible scope.
The Commission is also expected to take stock of export controls and the potential monitoring of outbound investments, on which it has made recommendations to the Member States in recent months (see EUROPE 13623/19, 13558/3).
In detail, the Commission is due to present the ministers with the initial results of a risk analysis on developing and using four critical technologies, which it recommended to the Member States in 2023 (see EUROPE 13263/2).
Ongoing negotiations. Traditionally, the Commission will inform the Member States of ongoing negotiations for future free trade agreements (FTAs). The cases of India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Mercosur and Mexico will be discussed. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)