There is a truce between Donald Trump and Europe. Jean Claude Juncker arrived at the White House in the hope of defusing the commercial tensions with the US that risk to irreversibly worsen the relations between the two sides of the Atlantic. And the president of the EU Commission managed to get an agreement.
The two agreed to launch a “new phase” in relations and work towards zero tariffs, the US president said. They also agreed to increase trade in services and agriculture, including greater US soy bean exports to the EU. No announcement was made on auto tariffs, and it was not clear whether any progress had been made on resolving the issue. Mr Trump had threatened to impose 25% tariffs on European auto imports. Mr Juncker said that both he and the president had agreed to reassess national security barriers in “due time”.
Before the meeting, the two leaders didn’t wait for an agreement. Indeed, a few days ago Trump, who defined the president of the EU Commission “a very intelligent but also very hard man”, had labeled him as “a killer”, speaking of the European Union as “an enemy for the United States”. If the truce was really reached, it will be seen in the coming weeks, also because in the comparison between the protectionist doctrine of “America First” and the values of globalism and multilateralism embodied by the European Union, political dynamics have to be taken in consideration. Meantime the White House follows with great interest political developments throughout Europe, with the progress of populist movements and parties almost everywhere. But as for now Washington and Brussels have decided to talk.
Maria Elena Argano
For further information:
La Repubblica Website: http://www.repubblica.it/economia/2018/07/25/news/trump_ue_dazi-202667746/
BBC Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-44961560
