The Trump administration has warned China against retracting duty duty in response to American rates. In a private conversation before the new Chinese duties – CNN reports by quoting some sources -, the president’s staff also urged Beijing to ask for a Interview between Xi Jinping and Trump. However, the American warning did not work and China has announced counter -lights to 125%. «We are really going well with our duties policy. Very exciting for America and the world! Is proceeding quickly. DJT ». Donald Trump writes it on Truth.
Meanwhile, the European Commission relaunches negotiations with the United States on the duties but threatens, in case of bankruptcy, not only to restore suspended countermeasures but also to hit the American web giants with the taxation on revenues.
The Commissioner for Commerce, Maros Sefcovic, He will fly to Washington on Sunday to meet his counterparts on Monday. So far it has been interfaced with the secretary of the trade, Howard Lutnick, and the representative for trade, Jamieson Greer. The proposal on the table, by the EU, is zero duties on both parts of the ocean. But for Americans it is not just a purely commercial issue. The Trump administration would like to eliminate the so -called non -tariff commercial barriers, including VAT, European standards on the products and the regulation of digital services that affects Big Tech in particular. But Brussels traces its red lines. And he does it – in an interview with the Financial Times – directly the president Ursula von der Leyen. «I think it is absolutely worth evaluating how to align our rules and our standards to simplify business. So I’m open to this possibility. But we shouldn’t raise the expectations too much because there are often different standards because there are differences in lifestyle and culture ». It therefore excludes the possibility of reviewing the “untouchable” EU regulations on digital content and market power, which Trump officials consider an effective tax on large US technological companies. Nor will the EU swear on VAT, who said to be equivalent to the US sales tax: “These are not included in the negotiation packages because they are sovereign decisions”, reiterated Von der Leyen.
The Big Tech, however, are on the negotiation table, as a weapon in the hands of the European Union. Von der Leyen, for the first time, said it clearly: if the negotiations were to fail, the European Union is ready to hit the Big Tech American with a tax on advertising revenues.
Journalists call it bazooka or nuclear weapon. And between officials and diplomats no one would really like to consider its use. In Warsaw, where the ministers of the economy and finances of the twenty -seven are gathered today and tomorrow, Germany has hinted that the EU has no alternatives on services. Consequently, it would not be very wise to hit the sector with duties. “The German government believes that we should engage a lot in the digitization of Europe and in incorporating the European digital industry to grow, to become more resilient and build alternatives to the offer of products of the United States digital service providers”, said Minister Jorg Kukies, according to which “it is not surprising there is a large commercial surplus with the United States in the goods, but a very high commercial deficit in the services” European alternative. And on this surplus the discussions between the ministers on any countermeasures are concentrated. “All the options remain on the table, when we talk about commercial relations with the USA we must also look at the substantial surplus that is on the commercial”, confirmed the commissioner to the economy, Valdis Dombrovskis.
Spain and France point out that the break announced by Trump also has its cost, because the duties on steel, aluminum and car (at 25%) remain in force. «Let’s move from an average of 3.5% to 13.8%, it is not good news. It is less worse than 20% news that still costs us 50 billion, “said French minister, Eric Lombard, who invited the European Union to maintain the unit because” the only way to obtain a balanced agreement “. And this will also be the task of the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who will fly to Washington on April 17th. Trump has already clarified that he will deal with the EU only as a block. From New Delhi, the deputy premier and foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, has assured that Meloni’s journey will make “a contribution to reducing tension and promoting an agreement between the EU and the USA”. “There is attention and support from the European Commission against Italy and the Prime Minister” in Washington “so that he can support the position of Europe, encourage a consistent dialogue and arrive at an agreement that can prevent a commercial war”, he highlighted.