German minister: EU must become stronger in Trump tariff talks
"Overall, as Europeans, we must become stronger," Klingbeil said in Washington ahead of a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
"Then we can also stand up to the U.S. with more self-confidence. Not against the U.S., but in dialogue with the U.S."
Klingbeil said there needed to be a quick solution to the trade conflict with the U.S. as companies needed planning certainty.
"Even though I am not the one negotiating today — that is the task of the European Commission — a close line of communication between me and Scott Bessent can help clarify things," he said, emphasizing the importance of the Transatlantic relationship.
Apart from tariffs, Klingbeil and Bessent will discuss how to deal with cheap Chinese goods that are flooding the markets in both the U.S. and Europe, as well as the G20 presidency that the U.S. will take at the end of the year.
"I believe it is important that we, from the German side, keep sending a clear signal: We want to work closely with the American government, we seek dialogue, we do not shy away from difficult topics and are looking at how we can solve problems together," Klingbeil said.
The EU's trade deal with Trump in July was greeted with a mix of relief and anger, with tariffs set at 15% for most products but negotiations continuing for certain sectors, including steel and aluminium, which carry tariffs of 50%.
Klingbeil would advocate for a quota system on steel exports to be included in the trade deal, he told reporters.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
37 minutes ago
- Reuters
Breakingviews - Trump's degraded data is worse than book-cooking
WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Donald Trump's stance on Covid-19 turned out to be a prelude for his second term. The U.S. president, who in 2020 argued that 'If we stopped testing right now, we'd have very few cases' of the coronavirus, is applying this logic to environmental, health, and - with the firing of the top Labor Department statistician — economic data. With presumably committed professional staff still in place and alternative data sources available, the main risk of isn't fake, rosy data — it's that firms, investors and policymakers will see pillars of the market crumble. The Bureau of Labor Statistics each month estimates jobs created in the prior period and updates its two previous estimates. Glum numbers on Friday prompted Trump to shoot the messenger. Following a report that 73,000 jobs were added in July, combined with a reduction of 258,000 for May and June's numbers, the president fired BLS Commissioner Erika McEntarfer. His argument that the employment survey is biased, and that revisions were tilted in favor of former President Joe Biden, does not survive under scrutiny. The agency revised, opens new tab down job growth by 818,000 during 2024's presidential election—hardly positive news for an incumbent administration. While this revision was large, volatility is unsurprising amid a trade war and immigration restrictionism. This president is already dismantling other research bodies, whether at the Environmental Protection Agency, or the carbon-tracking Mauna Loa observatory, or advisory boards at the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control. Companies and whole sectors, like insurance and pharmaceuticals, rely on government data for myriad uses: carbon markets, flood insurance calculations, automaker emissions compliance, solar energy output projections, disaster planning and resilience, creditworthiness for infrastructure projects, and more. There is no explicit promise to outright cook the books. Nonetheless, any threat to the integrity of this data degrades a vast infrastructure supporting modern markets, built up over more than a century. A ham-fisted push to skew the numbers would probably be self-destructive, drawing skepticism from outside professionals. Signals like resignations of remaining career staff will be clear. And, simply put, people know whether they have a job or not. Studies from countries that have manipulated official data, like Argentina, opens new tab, show that consumers don't trust fake figures, creating black markets to exploit any spread between fantasy and reality. Even without active sabotage, outdated practices may have slid in this direction by accident: officials warned, opens new tab that the BLS needs a refresh, including by jettisoning ever-less-reliable phone surveys and favoring real-time digital sources like job postings or credit card data. Those worries now get an extra political dimension, no matter what happens. Follow Gabriel Rubin on Bluesky, opens new tab and LinkedIn, opens new tab.
Reuters
37 minutes ago
- Reuters
Germany should consider Israel sanctions, senior lawmaker says after trip
BERLIN, Aug 4 (Reuters) - A senior lawmaker in German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's coalition on Monday said Berlin should consider sanctions on Israel including a partial suspension of weapons exports or the suspension of a European Union-wide political agreement. The call by Siemtje Moeller, the deputy leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) parliamentary faction, reflects a sharpening of rhetoric from Berlin against Israel which has yet to yield any major policy changes however. Moeller, whose SPD joined a coalition with Merz's conservatives this year, wrote a letter to SPD lawmakers after returning from a trip to Israel with Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul last week. "My assessment is that the Israeli government will move little without pressure. If such concrete improvements fail to materialize in the near future, there must be consequences," she said in the letter, seen by Reuters. Recognition of a Palestinian state should not be "taboo", she said, adding that Israeli statements that there were no restrictions on aid to Gaza were not convincing. At the same time, Moeller demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages held by Hamas. She said Hamas must no longer play a role in a political future in Gaza. "It must be disarmed, its reign of terror must end." Western nations have intensified efforts to exert pressure on Israel, with Britain, Canada and France signalling their readiness to recognise a Palestinian state in Israeli-occupied territory at the United Nations General Assembly this September. Israel has criticised France, Britain and Canada, saying their decision will reward Hamas. Critics argue that Germany's response remains overly cautious, shaped by an enduring sense of historical guilt for the Holocaust and reinforced by pro-Israel sentiment in influential media circles, weakening the West's collective ability to apply meaningful pressure on Israel. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in a cross-border attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Israel's air and ground war in densely populated Gaza has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to enclave health officials. A growing number of civilians are dying from starvation and malnutrition, Gaza health authorities say, with images of starving children shocking the world and intensifying criticism of Israel over its curbs on aid into the enclave. Israel blames Hamas for the suffering in Gaza but, in response to a rising international outcry, it announced steps last week to let more aid reach the population, including pausing fighting for part of the day in some areas, approving air drops and announcing protected routes for aid convoys.
Reuters
37 minutes ago
- Reuters
American Bar Association considers ending diversity requirements for board seats
Aug 4 (Reuters) - The American Bar Association is proposing to end its practice of reserving five seats on its governing board for women, racial minorities and other underrepresented groups, as the organization's diversity policies have come under scrutiny in President Donald Trump's second term. The revision, part of a slate of proposed changes, opens new tab that would reduce the size of the ABA's Board of Governors and its House of Delegates, would instead set aside three board seats for lawyers committed to 'advancing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion,' regardless of the candidates' demographic backgrounds. The existing rules require the designated members to be "racially or ethnically diverse, a woman, or self-identify either as LGBTQ+ or as having a disability." The board, which oversees management of the ABA, would go from the current 43 members to 32 under the proposal. The House of Delegates will consider the changes when it meets on August 11 and 12. The ABA committee that developed the reforms said they are needed amid declining membership and would help the organization become more nimble and efficient. Paid and free ABA membership fell to 227,000 in 2024 from nearly 400,000 in 2015 — a decline of about 43% that an ABA spokesperson said is partly attributable to the elimination of some free and low-cost membership categories. A report from the ABA committee did not specifically reference political influence, but the organization has faced mounting pressure from the Trump administration over its diversity and inclusion efforts. An ABA spokesperson declined to comment on what prompted the revision to its diversity requirements, saying it has yet to pass. Trump in April threatened to revoke the ABA's status as the federal government's designated accreditor of law schools due to its requirement that law schools demonstrate their commitment to diversity in recruitment, admissions and programming, which he said is illegal. That rule has since been put on hold through August 31, 2026. A coalition of conservative legal groups in February asked the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate several of the ABA's diversity hiring programs, claiming they discriminate by giving priority to minority applicants and other underrepresented groups. Under the Board of Governors proposal, candidates for the three diversity seats could be evaluated based on their 'involvement in groups or initiatives, lived experience, professional work, or obstacles overcome and resilience developed.' Read more: Trump executive order says ABA's role as law school accreditor may be revoked ABA keeps law school diversity rule on hold into 2026 amid Trump crackdown
