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Juncker will travel to Washington on Wednesday for talks focused
on trade tensions after the U.S. imposition of tariffs on EU
steel and aluminum and Trump's threats to extend those measures
to European cars.
Trump's top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, has said he expected
Juncker to come with a "significant" trade offer, but the
Commission on Monday that would not happen.
"I do not wish to enter into a discussion about mandates, offers
because there are no offers. This is a discussion, it is a
dialogue and it is an opportunity to talk and to stay engaged in
dialogue," Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a news
conference.
Trump has repeatedly complained about the European Union,
pointing to the higher duties it applies for car imports and
describing the bloc as a "foe" in trade.
EU officials have said that, while EU import duties for cars are
heavier than those of the United States, for other products,
such as trucks, U.S. rates are higher. They also say cutting
duties for cars could only be part of a broader trade deal.
European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, who will
accompany Juncker, said last week that the European Union was
preparing a list of U.S. products to hit if the United States
imposed tariffs on EU cars.
Schinas said Juncker was "very prepared" to set out European
arguments.
"This is an occasion to de-dramatize any potential tensions
around trade and to engage in an open and constructive dialogue
with our American partners," he said.
(Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)
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