US trying ‘in vain’ to split EU on trade, says European Commission chief

Young journalists club

News ID: 26180
Publish Date: 21:25 - 18 July 2018
TEHRAN, July 18 - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker says the EU will remain indivisible in the face of US bids to split the bloc on trade through encouraging bilateral deals with member states.

US trying ‘in vain’ to split EU on trade, says European Commission chiefTEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -In a message to US President Donald Trump before their talks in Washington next week, Juncker said at a press conference on Wednesday that the US was trying “in vain” to divide the EU with regards to trade, noting that he would like to make Trump understand that “the European Union and its single market are indivisible.”

"It seems to me all these efforts to have bilateral ties, which must take place between our partners and the commission and therefore the EU, must be better explained," Juncker added.

Trump imposed duties of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum in March.

In retaliation, the EU slapped tariffs on classic American goods, such as tobacco and motorcycles, prompting Trump to suggest hefty levies on European goods, notably cars, could be on the way.

The head of the powerful executive arm of the 28-nation European Union will visit the White House on July 25 in a bid to heal growing transatlantic trade divisions.

“The two leaders will discuss the deep cooperation between the European Union and the United States government and institutions across a wide range of priorities, including foreign and security policy, counterterrorism, energy security and economic growth,” a European Commission spokesperson said, adding, “President Juncker and President Trump will focus on improving transatlantic trade and forging a stronger economic partnership.”

The strained ties between Washington and the EU went into a spiral when the US president called the bloc “a foe” in an interview aired last week.

Source: Press TV 

 

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