Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic expressed on Monday that he had “productive” talks with the US trade representative and commerce secretary, as the two are on their first official visit to Brussels.
How is Seferovic framing EU commitments to the US?How are US concerns over EU tech rules shaping talks?
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are on their first formal trip to Brussels. They are meeting with European Union trade ministers and European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic during this visit to talk about how the July 2025 EU-US trade agreement will be implemented.
The talks center on expediting EU legislative procedures to reduce tariffs on American industrial products, such as automobiles and auto parts, which are essential to European industry.
How is Seferovic framing EU commitments to the US?
According to Sefcovic, the two parties are “well aligned” and have a “robust deal” in place. During today’s talks, they will assess how it is being implemented.
Sefcovic emphasised that the European Union is fulfilling its obligations, which include investing almost €154 billion in the US since January and buying $200 billion worth of US energy this year, with an additional $40 billion in chip contracts on the horizon.
He continued by saying that the US and the EU will work to address global overcapacity and resolve problems with steel and derivatives, where the EU wants a lower tariff.
How are US concerns over EU tech rules shaping talks?
According to experts, the meeting expected to be tense because the US is putting pressure on the EU to amend legislation that it views as restrictive for US businesses and expedite the implementation of the agreement reached by President Donald Trump and Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, which would eliminate tariffs on all American industrial goods, make significant investments in the US, and pledge to buy US energy.
The European Union has imposed a number of restrictions on US businesses, mainly focusing on significant US technology companies. Significant fines, compliance requirements, and regulatory frameworks under laws like the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) are some of these measures.
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