European Commission chief welcomes Trump's tariff delay, EU wants further talks

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today welcomed US President Donald Trump's decision to delay the entry into force of the so-called reciprocal tariffs by 90 days. The European Union is ready to continue talks with the United States on removing trade barriers in a way that benefits both sides, she said in a statement. She noted that she is advocating zero reciprocal tariffs. Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen told the Financial Times that the EU is considering buying more liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US, as Trump has demanded.

On Wednesday, Trump unexpectedly announced that, with the exception of China, the United States would immediately reduce tariff rates to ten percent for most countries for 90 days. The so-called reciprocal tariffs, which stood at 20 percent for the European Union, had been in force for only a few hours. Trump said he had suspended them to create room for talks on tariffs with other countries. Politicians in several other countries welcomed Trump's move.

„Clear and predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function,“ the head of the EU executive said.

She said the EU intends to negotiate with the US on terms for „smooth and mutually beneficial trade“.

The German politician again stressed that she has long advocated a zero-tariff agreement, describing tariffs as „a tax that harms businesses and consumers“. The EU had previously offered Washington a zero-tariff deal on industrial goods, she said, but the offer was unsuccessful.

In a subsequent statement, the Commission said it would assess Trump's decision on Wednesday and decide on further steps after consulting member states and industry representatives. The EU has already prepared a package of tariff measures, due to take effect on April 15 in retaliation for US tariffs on car, steel and aluminium imports. In discussions over the so-called reciprocal tariffs, most EU countries have so far favoured negotiations with Washington over retaliation.

In recent days, Trump has said, among other things, that the EU could avoid US tariffs if it bought significantly more liquefied natural gas from the US.

„There is potential for us to buy more US LNG, but it would certainly have to be on terms that are consistent with our green transition,“ the British newspaper quoted Energy Commissioner Jørgensen as saying. He was referring to the EU's goal of producing as much energy as possible from renewable sources.

The US is already the EU's largest LNG supplier, accounting for 45 percent of imports. Trump said the EU should buy $350 billion worth of gas to eliminate its trade surplus, one of the stated aims of the White House chief's tariff offensive. The EU says Trump should include services as well as goods in the trade balance; the United States, in contrast, runs a surplus in services.

The British newspaper noted that the European Commission can do little more than encourage energy companies to sign contracts with US suppliers; the decision to buy gas is up to the companies themselves.