US tariffs are not in anyone's interest and should be reduced, Dutch Foreign Minister Stephanus Blok said on Monday during a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the Hague
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2019) US tariffs are not in anyone's interest and should be reduced, Dutch Foreign Minister Stephanus Blok said on Monday during a joint news conference with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in the Hague."It is in the interests of nobody, having tariffs that make trade more difficult or more expensive," Blok said.
The Dutch minister emphasized that his country fully supports the European Union's position on the trade talks with the United States. "The EU is negotiating on behalf of the Netherlands," he said.
The EU is seeking a deal that would eliminate tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on steel and aluminum produced in Europe. After the EU retaliated with tariffs on a list of US imports, both sides agreed to seek a new trade pact in an attempt to de-escalate tensions.
For his part, Pompeo said entrepreneurs "shouldn't be concerned at all about US policy on international trade," adding that Washington wants fair, reciprocal trade without any tariff barriers.
Last year, Trump introduced 25 percent tariffs on steel imports and 10 percent tariffs on aluminum imports by invoking Section 232 of US trade law, citing alleged national security concerns.
