BRUSSELS – The European Commission remains “fully committed” to reaching a trade deal with the United States amid tariff twists, according to a senior European Union (EU) official.
In a Monday post on social media platform X, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic wrote: “The European Commission remains fully committed to constructive and focused efforts at pace towards an EU-US deal,” adding that Brussels would continue to stay in constant contact with Washington.
His remarks followed his calls with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump said talks with the 27-member bloc were “going nowhere” and threatened to impose a 50 percent tariff on all EU imports from June 1.
EU officials and member state representatives responded with discontent, warning that such coercive tactics would jeopardize transatlantic trade talks.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen phoned Trump on Sunday, after which he agreed to postpone the planned tariff increase until July 9.
Economists and market analysts have also criticised the unpredictability of US trade policies, noting that such volatility undermines confidence in the US as a reliable trading partner.
Trump said Sunday that he agreed to postpone the planned 50 percent tariff on imports from the EU until July 9.
“It was my privilege to do so,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, following a call from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen requesting an extension.
“(Von der Leyen) said she wants to get down to serious negotiation,” said Trump.
Writing on X, the EU chief described the call as “good,” saying that “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.”
The European Commission has sharply downgraded its economic growth outlook for the European Union (EU), citing the impacts of higher US tariffs and persistent uncertainty.
In its Spring 2025 Economic Forecast, the commission cut its projections for real gross domestic product growth for the 27-country bloc to 1.1 percent in 2025 and 1.5 percent in 2026, down from 1.5 percent and 1.8 percent, respectively, in the Autumn 2024 Forecast.
“This represents a considerable downgrade compared to the Autumn 2024 Forecast, largely due to the impact of increased tariffs and the heightened uncertainty caused by the recent abrupt changes in US trade policy and the unpredictability of the tariffs’ final configuration,” the commission said.
The euro area, encompassing the 20 EU countries that share the single currency, is now expected to grow by 0.9 percent in 2025 and 1.4 percent in 2026, also below earlier estimates.
The US administration has upended global trade with tariffs and threats against both allies and rivals. Amid mounting concerns over the economic fallout of a possible “Trumpcession,” uncertainties are expected to further hamper the European economic recovery.
A possible recession in the United States could influence the European economy, because the EU will not be immune to the consequences, said Vassilios Psarras, an economist at Brussels-based DeHavilland Europe.
