EU trade chief says trade talks with US advancing in 'right direction'

ISTANBUL

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said Wednesday that the bloc is advancing talks with the US in the right direction, staying in close contact to maintain the momentum as trade tensions spiral because of President Donald Trump's tariff policy.

Sefcovic met US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the margins of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)'s Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris.

"Had a productive and constructive discussion with US Trade Representative Ambassador Greer on the margins of the OECD Trade Ministerial," Sefcovic wrote on X. "We're advancing in the right direction at pace - and staying in close contact to maintain the momentum.”

Greer said that the meeting was "very constructive."

"Last week, the European Union provided the United States with a credible starting point for discussions on reciprocal trade, and I am pleased that negotiations are advancing quickly,” he said.

"Today’s meeting in Paris, which occurred alongside technical talks by our teams in Washington, was very constructive and indicates a willingness by the EU to work with us to find a concrete way forward to achieve reciprocal trade," he noted.

Greer added that he looks forward to continued constructive engagement in the coming days and weeks.

The meeting came after Trump again escalated trade tensions as he doubled the tariff rate imposed on steel products to the US to 50%.

He threatened on May 23 to impose a direct 50% tariff on the EU beginning June 1, saying talks were "going nowhere."

After speaking with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the US president subsequently moved the date to July 9.

Last week, he praised the EU's decision to accelerate trade negotiations, saying it is a "positive event."

"I have just been informed that the EU has called to quickly establish meeting dates," Trump wrote on social media, expressing satisfaction.​​​​​​​