Economy. Customs duties: "We will need time to reach an agreement," assures Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced she had a "good call" with Donald Trump , two days after the US president threatened to impose 50% tariffs on imports from Europe. "Europe is ready to move negotiations forward quickly and decisively. To reach a good agreement, we will need time until July 9," she said on the social network X. "The EU and the United States have the largest and closest trading relationship in the world," she recalled.

Donald Trump said Friday that he was not "seeking a deal" with the European Union and threatened to impose 50% tariffs on imports from the 27 member states as early as June ^1. The European Commission, which negotiates trade agreements on behalf of the EU, immediately responded by demanding compliance from Washington.

“The EU is fully committed and determined to secure an agreement that works for both sides,” Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on X, after talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Trade between the EU and the United States “must be guided by mutual respect, not threats. We stand ready to defend our interests,” he added.

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil urged the United States on Sunday to hold "serious negotiations." "US tariffs endanger the American economy as much as the German and European economies," he said in an interview with the Sunday edition of the daily Bild . The EU had threatened in early May to impose tariffs worth 95 billion euros of American imports, including cars and airplanes, if trade talks with Trump failed. The Commission also announced that it would refer the trade measures it is facing from the United States to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In recent months, the European Union has been hit three times by tariffs from the US administration: 25% on steel and aluminum, announced in mid-March, 25% on automobiles, and then 20% on all other European products in April. This latest surcharge was suspended until July to allow for negotiations. However, 10% tariffs remain in place on most goods exported to the United States by the Twenty-Seven. Donald Trump has regularly attacked Europe since his return to the White House, deeming it "worse than China" in trade relations.

The United States estimates its deficit with the EU in goods at $235 billion in 2024, but the European Commission points out that the American surplus in services reduces the trade deficit to €50 billion (around $57 billion).