EU Accepts Trump’s Universal Tariff With Exemptions

The European Union is willing to accept a trade arrangement with the US that includes a 10% universal tariff on many of the bloc’s exports, but wants the US to commit to lower rates on key sectors such as pharmaceuticals, alcohol, semiconductors and commercial aircraft.

The EU is also pushing the US for quotas and exemptions to effectively lower Washington’s 25% tariff on automobiles and car parts as well as its 50% tariff on steel and aluminum, according to people familiar with the matter.

The European Commission, which handles trade matters for the EU, views this arrangement as slightly favoring the US but still something it could agree to, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The EU has until July 9 to clinch a trade arrangement with Donald Trump before tariffs on nearly all of the bloc’s exports to the US jump to 50%. The US president has imposed tariffs on almost all its trading partners, saying he wanted to bring back domestic manufacturing, needed to pay for a tax-cut extension and stop other countries from taking advantage of the US.