MERKEL WARNS: The EU will 'defend its interests' if Trump pushes tariffs

pulse

April 29, 2018 4:56 PM

German Chancellor Angela Merkel issues a warning for the Trump administration on behalf of the EU after meeting with Emmanuel Macron and Theresa May.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a statement that she and the leaders of France and Britain are prepared to push back if the Trump administration doesn't permanently exempt them from new import taxes.
The statement comes after Merkel met with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Theresa May over the past three days.

The European Union's temporary exemption from taxes on aluminum and steel imports expires on Tuesday, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to make sure the 28-nation group stays excluded.

Merkel said in a statement on Sunday that she and the leaders of France and Britain will push back if the Trump administration doesn't permanently exempt them from the new import taxes.

The German chancellor also said she met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday and British Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday, on her way back from speaking with US President Donald Trump on Friday.

According to an Associated Press report on Sunday, Merkel says the three leaders "agreed that the US ought not to take any trade measures against the European Union," which is "resolved to defend its interests within the multilateral trade framework."

Merkel's statement didn't outline any specific steps the EU might take if import tariffs are applied.

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