The European Union (EU) has delayed the return plans for steel and aluminum prices from US President Donald Trump until next month.
The commercial block was to impose tasks on American products, including a 50% sample on whiskey, from April 1 to which Trump then responded with a 200% pricing threat.
In a decision that could calm the dispute, the EU said on Thursday that it would reject its prices, saying that it wanted “an additional time for discussions” with the United States.
This occurs while world leaders are trying to respond to the commercial threats of the White House, including “reciprocal” prices that promised to announce on April 2.
During last week, leaders in France and Italy – are home to many wine exporters who would be touched if Trump included his threat – criticized the EU for his climbing in response to Trump.
The EU initially declared that its prices would take place in two phases, with a first set of tasks entering into force on April 1 and a second round on April 13.
EU spokesperson Olof Gill said Thursday that delaying the first cycle of American prices until April 13 was “a slight adjustment to the chronology and does not decrease the impact of our response”.
He said officials planned to consult EU members on the articles in the United States that will be targeted.
“In the meantime, the EU continues to be ready to initiate constructive dialogue with the United States, in order to seek a solution that avoids unnecessary damage to both economies,” he said.
He refused to say if the EU had made progress discussing the issue after contacting the Trump administration.
The distilled president of the council of spirits Chris Swonger, who represents manufacturers of American alcohols in the United States, praised the delay of the EU.
“This is a very positive development and gives us distiller a glimmer of hope that a 50% devastating price on American whiskey can be avoided,” he said, urging the two parties to reach an agreement that would preserve the “zero” prices for the spirits trade.
The White House is preparing to announce another series of prices on countries around the world, the EU should be one of the main business partners affected.
Although it is not clear how the tasks will be fixed, Trump has spoken of the plans of the prices, which, according to him, are intended for countries which have commercial practices which harm us for exports.
White House officials have clearly indicated that the EU will be a target, Trump developing a plan for a 25% rate on all European products earlier this year.
Although EU’s average prices are not much higher than those imposed by the United States, the United States has long complained about other types of rules, such as those that prohibit pesticide withdrawal, which say they put American products in disadvantage.
