Dice, the double track of Brussels: a proposal to the USA is coming and it is with India and Japan

By our correspondent
BRUSSELS – the strategy of the European Union in the duties war Started by Donald Trump does not change: treating, defending, diversifying. The president of the Ursula von der Leyen commission repeated it on every occasion: the EU is committed to construction negotiations with Washington but the Exchanges with the United States they represent 13% of the Union trade. So Brussels intends to interact with the countries that represent 87% of world trade and share the European commitment for a free and open exchange of goods, services and ideas.

The line

This is also the line of the commissioner to trade Marsoš Šefcovicwhich on Wednesday has updated the Member States on the next moves. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani He was in Valencia at the PPE congress when he received the Commissioner’s phone call. The European Commission has exclusive competence on trade but it is clear that, in such a delicate match, as the war of duties is, it cannot ignore constant coordination with capital. From Valencia a strong signal has arrived from the German chancellor in the pectore, Friedrich Merz, who said to « fully support the commission’s efforts for new free trade agreements », adding a request, indirect message to the French president Macron and his no to Mercosur: « Please do not load them with too many other issues not related to trade ».

On May 1st Šefcovic welcomed the Indian Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal to Brussels and together they committed themselves to concluding negotiations for a free trade agreement between India and EU by the end of this year. Next week Šefcovic will be in Japan where he will meet the Minister for Economic Security Minoru Kiuchi to strengthen mutual cooperation.

On Wednesday evening the ambassadors at the EU were informed of the developments in UE-US relationships in restricted format to guarantee the « maximum confidentiality », recalled a diplomatic source yesterday. And always yesterday the spokesman for the Commission with delegation to the trade, Olof Gill, reiterated that the Commission has no intention of « making detailed comments on current negotiations », but above all he explained that there is still no « formal offer » on the European part.

Rebalancing

But as an EU source observed yesterday, the words entrusted by commissioner Šefcovic al Financial Times They indicate the perimeter of action: a rebalancing of the commercial balance of the value of 50 billion euros through greater purchases of liquefied natural gas and other agricultural products such as soy, as well as an intensification of cooperation to face China’s overcagement of the steel, semiconductors and critical raw materials. Brussels is also ready to reduce commercial and non -tariff barriers and increase European investments in the United States. While the proposal to reset the duties on industrial products including cars has so far seen a cold reaction by Washington. Second Bloomberg The various options will be presented next week to the Trump administration to evaluate whether there is an interest and then translate ideas into more formal offers and negotiations.

The list

Meanwhile, Brussels is also working on a new list of US products to hit if the dialogues should fail. The hypothesis would not include digital and financial services, on which Member States are divided. Among the measures to the study there is also the option to bring the United States in front of the World Trade Organization.