EU Postpones Trade Tariffs as Negotiations with US Continue**

The EU has postponed its planned tariffs in retaliation to US import taxes, opting for negotiations as tensions rise between the two economic giants.**

The European Union has once again delayed the implementation of retaliatory tariffs on US exports, as announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Originally slated to begin on Tuesday, these countermeasures were a response to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, affecting an estimated €21 billion worth of US goods. This suspension, which initially started in March, has been extended until early August, during which the EU aims to negotiate a more amicable resolution.

Trade ministers from the EU are scheduled to convene in Brussels on Monday to deliberate on their strategy moving forward. This delay comes on the heels of a letter from Trump to von der Leyen, in which he disclosed plans to introduce a hefty 30% tariff on EU imports starting August 1. Trump further threatened that if the EU retaliated with its own tariffs, the US would respond with even higher tariffs.

In a pre-recorded interview aired Saturday, Trump claimed that despite objections from other countries, the tariffs had resulted in "hundreds of billions of dollars" flowing into the US economy. Calling the situation a negotiation opportunity, von der Leyen stated, "The United States has sent us a letter with measures that would come into effect unless there is a negotiated solution. We will therefore also extend the suspension of our countermeasures until early August," while emphasizing the EU's preference for diplomatic dialogue.

Germany's finance minister, Lars Klingbeil, echoed von der Leyen's sentiment, advocating for "serious and solution-oriented negotiations" with the US. He added a cautionary note that if negotiations fail, decisive measures would be required to safeguard European jobs and businesses. French President Emmanuel Macron also pressed the European Commission to "resolutely defend European interests."

Currently, the Trump administration is pursuing trade agreements with multiple countries, including recent outlines of deals with the UK and Vietnam, amid negotiations with others. The European Union, representing 27 countries, stands firm as it navigates the complexities of global trade impacted by the US administration's tariff proposals.