Remarks by Commissioner Šefčovič at the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) press conference

European Commission -Speech [Check Against Delivery] Remarks by Commissioner Šefčovič at the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) press conference Brussels, 7 April 2025 First, I want to thank the Polish Presidency for organising this critical debate. This is time well spent, especially in a moment that requires constant and strategic coordination. I had the chance to update the Ministers on my recent engagements with my US counterparts and to discuss the way forward. The current trade situation with the United States, our most significant partner, is in a tough spot. A range of tariffs is hitting a significant portion of EU exports. In fact, €380 billion worth of EU exports to the US – some 70 percent of our total exports – are facing tariffs of 20 percent or 25 percent, or even higher when combined with existing Most Favoured Nation tariffs, like the 27.5% duty on passenger cars altogether. To put it in perspective, that's over €80 billion in duties – an eleven-fold jump from the €7 billion the US currently collects. From day one, my focus has been on initiating meaningful negotiations with the US Administration, building momentum at every step. And I appreciate the efforts of my counterparts, Secretary of Commerce Lutnick and USTR, Ambassador Greer, for maintaining an open and candid line of communication with us. Where do we stand? Let me break it down into three key points. First, both sides recognise that the EU-US trade relationship could benefit from a fresh...