European Council President Antonio Costa called for a “constructive approach” with the United States on trade tariffs to avoid a trade war, speaking on Monday ahead of the G7 meeting in Canada.
Costa stressed that if the EU faces discrimination, it must respond, saying that “the European Commission is ready to act, especially on trade issues.”
“We need to be calm and level-headed. I sincerely hope that finally there will be political action guided by rationality because no tariff will increase US exports of goods or services to Europe,” Costa said in a video recording of his conversation with former European Commission President Jose Manuel Durao Barroso at a conference in Lisbon.
The EU Council President also stressed that the European Commission has already put forward what he described as “the best proposal that can be offered is zero tariffs.”
Costa explained the EU’s main goal: “We fundamentally want to avoid a trade war with the US.” He added that Europe intends to deepen ties through a “constructive dialogue” with the US.
Trade issues are expected to be a major topic in the G7 meeting that will take place in Canada soon.
