EU/TARIFFS/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “European Union ministers debated on Friday [10-5-18] what to offer the United States to ease trade tensions and avoid a return to a tit-for-tat tariff conflict that could hit EU cars. U.S. President Donald Trump agreed in July to hold back on a threatened 25-percent import tariff on EU cars while the United States and Europe discussed removing trade barriers, including duties on industrial goods. Austria, which holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union, put forward a paper ahead of Friday’s meeting suggesting EU countries could agree the focus of transatlantic talks could be regulatory cooperation. This could include agreements that each side recognise as sufficient the other’s safety standards in cars, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. For example, a seat belt meeting EU standards could be sold in the United States, and vice versa.”
–Reuters Staff, “EU weighs what to offer Trump on trade,” Reuters, October 5, 2018 3:19 am