EU Holds Off on Countermeasures to US Tariffs as It Pushes for Deal

Bloc Has Readied Two Packages That Could Hit a Combined $139b of American Goods

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BRUSSELS - The European Union said on July 13 that it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to US tariffs until early August, and continue to press for a negotiated settlement as US President Donald Trump's administration demanded more concessions from trading partners.

Mr. Trump said on July 12 that he would impose a 30 percent tariff on most imports from the EU and Mexico from August 1, adding to similar warnings for other countries and leaving them less than three weeks to hammer out framework deals that could lower the threatened tariff rate.

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on July 13 that countries' trade deal offers so far have not satisfied Mr. Trump and "the tariffs are real" without improvements.

"The President thinks that deals need to be better," Mr. Hassett told ABC's This Week programme. "And to basically put a line in the sand, he sent these letters out to folks, and we'll see how it works out."

Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU's executive commission, which handles trade policy for the 27 member states, said the bloc would maintain its two-track approach: keep talking and prepare retaliatory measures.

"We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This remains the case, and we will use the time that we have now," she told a press conference, adding that the bloc would extend its halt on countermeasures until August.