The French Minister of the Economy hopes for an agreement with Washington on customs duties “this weekend”


Eric Lombard intends to avoid the application of punitive customs duties by the United States, which he compared on Saturday to a “Caïd”, believing that in default, the European Union will have to respond with “more vigor”.

Published


Reading time: 2min

The Minister of Economy, Eric Lombard, speaks during a press conference in Paris, June 26, 2025. (Julien de Rosa / AFP)

The Minister of Economy, Eric Lombard, speaks during a press conference in Paris on June 26, 2025. (Julien de Rosa / AFP)

The pressure rises. The French Minister of the Economy, Eric Lombard, said, on Saturday July 5, hoping for an agreement “This weekend” To avoid the application of punitive customs duties by the United States, which he compared to a “Caïd”believing that in default, the European Union will have to respond with “More vigor”. “On prices, it’s possibly playing this weekend since a commission delegation (European) is in Washington “argued the minister during the economic meetings of Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône).

At the beginning of April, US President Donald Trump had caused a shock wave by announcing a drastic increase in customs duties against the rest of the world: a minimum surcharge of 10%, which can go up to 50% for countries that export more to the United States that they are important to American products. He then suspended these customs duties, leaving the way for commercial negotiations with each of the partners.

The American president set the deadline for July 9 for the conclusion of an agreement between Washington and his partners, under penalty of seeing customs taxes of their exports to the United States increase. Donald Trump said on Friday to have signed letters addressed to the trade partners of the United States concerning the application of punitive customs rights by Washington, among which “Probably twelve” will be sent on Monday. These customs duties could vary from country to country, from China to the European Union, from a range of 10% to 20% to a much higher range, from 60% to 70%, according to the tenant of the White House. The countries in question will begin, according to him, to pay on August 1.

Eric Lombard also estimated “essential” For the European Union to erect customs barriers to protect its industry from the United States and China. “Imagine the world as a playground where everyone plays harm with supervisors and respecting the rules. And there are three caïds who arrive and who no longer respect any rules, which drop the game tables, which upset the children who played wisely. It is the world of predators”Did he cracked about the United States, Russia and China.



Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *