PRESTWICK, Scotland (Reuters) -European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the trade deal clinched with United States on Sunday as “the best we could get” and not to be underestimated given the looming threat of 30% tariffs that had been hanging over the EU.
A baseline tariff rate of 15% on EU goods imported into the United States would apply to most goods including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceutical goods, von der Leyen said.
Meanwhile, a zero-for-zero tariff rate had been agreed for certain strategic products, including aircraft and aircraft parts, certain chemicals, and certain generic drugs. No decision had been taken on a rate for wine and spirits, she added.
Asked if she considered 15% a good deal for European carmakers, von der Leyen told reporters: “15% is not to be underestimated, but it is the best we could get.”
The European Union committed to purchasing $750 billion worth U.S. LNG and nuclear fuel over three years. “We still have too much Russian LNG that is coming through the back door,” she said.
The European Commission has proposed phasing out all Russian gas imports by Jan 1, 2028.
“Today’s deal creates certainty in uncertain times, delivers stability and predictability,” von der Leyen told reporters before leaving Scotland.
(Reporting by Andrew Gray in Prestwick and Sudip Kar-Gupta in Brussels; Editing by Richard Lough, Diane Craft and Nick Zieminski)
