The Commission gave assurances that any new tariff regime will honour commitments under the EU-US joint statement
Brussels has signalled that it remains unsure how – or even if – Washington intends to honour its commitment to impose a maximum 15% tariff on EU exports, just hours before a temporary 10% US duty is set to expire.
Olof Gill, European Commission deputy chief spokesperson, told reporters on Thursday that “whatever the final tariff regime”, the EU executive expects the US to adhere to the terms of the joint statement agreed by both sides last summer.
The so-called Turnberry deal commits the EU to slashing tariffs on US industrial and agricultural products in exchange for a maximum 15% levy on most EU exports to America.
“We have clear political commitments from them [the US] that whatever the final tariff regime they put in place to, let’s say, reconstruct their tariff wall, will honour their commitments under the EU-US joint statement,” Gill said.
