EU president Juncker says Trump ‘gave his word’ not to impose car tariffs
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has said he is confident US President Donald Trump will not impose higher tariffs on European car imports.
“Trump gave me his word that there won't be any car tariffs for the time being. I believe him,” Juncker told local media, according to his spokesperson.
Read more: EU vehicles pose no threat to US, carmakers say
The comments came after it emerged Trump has been handed a confidential report from the US commerce department into whether European cars and car parts pose a threat to national security.
The contents of the report have not yet been disclosed, but analysts have warned they could pave the way for hefty tariffs. Trump has previously floated the idea of a 25 per cent tax on imported vehicles.
While Juncker said he did not expect Trump to impose the levy, he warned the EU would not feel bound by its commitments to buy more US soya and liquid gas if the US president reneged on his promise.
Dieter Kempf, president of the Federation of German Industry, dismissed claims car imports pose a threat to US national security.
“The US department of commerce should publish its report into car imports quickly to avoid a further increase in uncertainty for companies,” he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also expressed her concern about the proposed taxes.
Read more: Juncker refuses to reopen Brexit negotiations
“We are proud of our cars and so we should be,” Merkel said, adding that many are made in US factories and exported to China.
“If that is viewed as a security threat to the United States, then we are shocked,” she told a conference in Munich at the weekend.