BRUSSELS: The European Commission plans to submit counter-tariffs on 93 billion euros (US$109 billion) of United States goods for approval to EU members, while its trade chief will hold talks with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
The Commission said on Wednesday (Jul 23) its primary focus was to achieve a negotiated outcome with the US to avert 30 per cent US tariffs that US President Donald Trump has said he will impose on the 27-nation bloc on Aug 1.
European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic will speak with Lutnick on Wednesday afternoon, the Commission said, before Commission officials brief EU ambassadors on the state of play.
The Commission said it would in parallel press on with potential countermeasures. It said it would merge its two sets of possible tariffs of 21 billion euros and 72 billion euros into a single list.
It added it would submit this to EU members for approval. No countermeasures would enter force until Aug 7. So far, the EU has not imposed any countermeasures, agreeing to, but then immediately suspending, the first set in April.
The Commission may be buoyed by the initial deal struck between the US and Japan.
