No signs of de-escalation in trade dispute with U.S.: Germany's Scholz

[May 31, 2018]  BERLIN (Reuters) - There are no signs of a de-escalation in the trade dispute between Europe and the United States, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said in a Reuters interview published on Thursday, adding the EU's response to any U.S. tariffs must be strong.

U.S. President Donald Trump has granted the European Union a temporary exemption from hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports which will expire on Friday.

Asked if there were signs of a de-escalation in the dispute, Scholz told Reuters: "No, there are no such signs."

EU member states have become more willing to underline their unity and sovereignty by acting in a determined way, Scholz said, adding: "Our response should be clear, strong and smart."

(Reporting by Michael Nienaber and Gernot Heller; Editing by Madeline Chambers)

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