German Chancellor calls for conclusion of customs agreement with the USA

Berlin (dpa) – The German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is calling for a “final decision” in the struggle over the European Union’s customs agreement with the USA. His advice to everyone is to reach such a decision, Merz said in Berlin. After the withdrawal of the latest tariff threats by US President Donald Trump against European countries, Merz said at an appearance with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan that he assumed “that the foundations have been laid to bring this agreement into force.”

Merz warned: “However, it must not now once again be called into question by the American side that they stand by their commitments from last summer.” According to Merz, the US side should also have an interest in ensuring that agreements are upheld and not called into question by “daily announcements.” The politician stated: “We are not prepared to accept a deterioration of this agreement.” He also recalled that two chapters of the agreement, on aluminum and steel, were still open.

The agreement was concluded last year. But because of the dispute over the Arctic island of Greenland claimed by Trump and his subsequent tariff threats, it was put on ice. Among other things, the plan is that industrial goods from the USA can in future be imported into the EU duty-free. In return for these EU commitments, Trump refrained last summer, among other things, from introducing special tariffs. (January 28)