EU “strongly” regrets us plans to double the steel rates

The EU said it “strongly” regrets Donald Trump’s surprising plan to double the US rates for steel and aluminum in progress that risk throwing bilateral trade calls into chaos.

On Friday, the US President told a rally in the steel city of Pittsburgh that tariffs would rise from 25% to 50%, claiming that this would strengthen the local industry and national supplies.

The European Commission told the BBC on Saturday that Trump’s last move to the tariffs “undermine the constant efforts” to achieve a deal, warning of “counteraction”.

It also raises questions about the United Kingdom’s zero tariff deal with the United States for steel and aluminum, which, although negotiated, have not yet been signed.

A spokesman for the United Kingdom government said “we are committed to the US about the consequences of the latest tariff message and provide clarity to the industry.”

UK – which left the EU after the 2016 Brexit referendum – was the first country to qualify A trade deal with the US earlier this month.

In a statement sent to the BBC on Saturday, the European Commission, the EU executive hand, said: “We are very sorry for the announced increase in US tariffs for steel imports from 25% to 50%.

“This decision adds additional uncertainty to the global economy and increases consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Increasing tariffs also undermines the constant efforts to achieve an agreed decision.

“Good -owner, the EU stopped its counteraction on April 14 to create a space to continue negotiations,” the statement said, warning the block “is ready to counteract.”

On Friday, Trump announced that the tariff rate of steel and aluminum imports would double up to 50%, starting on Wednesday.

He said this move would help to strengthen the local steel industry and national supply, while reducing China’s reading.

Trump also said that $ 14 billion ($ 10 billion) will be invested in the production of steel in the area through a partnership between US Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel, although he later told reporters that he had not yet seen or approved the final deal.

The announcement was the last turn in Trump’s Rollercoaster approach to the tariffs after re -entry into office in January.

“There will be no cuts and no outsourcing, and every American steel worker will soon receive a well -deserved bonus of $ 5,000,” Trump told a crowd filled with steel workers for violent applause.

The production of steel in the United States has declined in recent years, and China, India and Japan have abandoned the world’s best manufacturers. Approximately a quarter of all steel used in the US is imported.

The message comes against the background of a court battle over the legality of some of Trump’s global tariffs, which Court of Appeal allowed to continue after the court of international trade ordered the administration to suspend taxes.

His tariffs for steel and aluminum were untouched by the case.

Last week, Trump agreed to extend the deadline for negotiating the EU rates by more than a month.

In April, he announced a 20% tariff – or import tax – on most EU goods, but later reduced that to 10% to give time to negotiate. Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of conversations and threatened to raise the tariff rate to an even higher level than 50% immediately after June 1st.

But last week he wrote on social media that he was pressing his final deadline by July 9, after a “very nice” call with Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission.