The
Commission said on Monday it would suspend a proposed hike in
its retaliatory tariffs that would have added a number of
products from lipstick to sports shoes and doubled to 50% duties
on U.S. bourbon whiskey, motorbikes and motor boats.
In a joint statement, Brussels and Washington said that, as
allies, they could promote high standards, address shared
concerns "and hold countries like China that support
trade-distorting policies to account".
The discussions would aim to find solutions, such as on
appropriate trade measures, by the end of the year.
The United States will maintain its tariffs of 25% on steel and
10% on aluminium, which also apply to imports from China, India,
Russia, Turkey, Norway and Switzerland.
The Trump administration cited U.S. national security grounds as
the basis for its metals tariffs - measures that steelmakers
such as Thyssenkrupp and Voestalpine have said they were
affected by.
The EU denied that its exports pose any security threat and
responded by placing its own tariffs on 2.8 billion euros ($3.4
billion) of U.S. products, including motorbikes, whisky and
orange juice. These will also remain in place.
($1 = 0.8221 euros)
(Reporting by Philip BlenkinsopEditing by John Chalmers and
Giles Elgood)
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