G-7 Trade Ministers Discuss Issues over U.S. Tariffs

Paris, Feb. 23 (Jiji Press)–Trade ministers of the Group of Seven advanced nations in an online meeting Monday discussed issues related to recent confusion over the tariff policy of U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. European members of the G-7 forum called on the United States to treat them fairly in international trade and ensure that European companies can export their products to the U.S. market in a predictable environment, according to an official of France, this year’s chair of the grouping. At the beginning of the meeting, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer explained that the U.S. Supreme Court has found the Trump administration’s reciprocal tariffs unconstitutional and that the president plans to impose uniform tariffs on all of his country’s trade partners in lieu of the reciprocal tariffs. The European side said that policies that lack transparency will have negative effects on trade between the region and the United States, stressing the need for a swift resolution. From Japan, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Ryosei Akazawa joined the online meeting. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the press that most of the items covered by the country’s trade deal with the United States, such as vehicles, steel and medicines, will not be impacted by the planned uniform U.S. tariffs. The G-7 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States plus the European Union. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]