BRUSSELS, April 3. /TASS/. Trade ministers of EU member-countries will approve countermeasures against duties announced by the US at their meeting on April 7, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said.
"The consultation for these countermeasures has now finished, and I will discuss the next step with EU Trade Ministers on 7 April, with a vote expected two days later," Sefcovic said in his statement.
The response "will complement the EU rebalancing measures already announced following the US decision last month to target our steel and aluminum exports worth 26 billion euros," the commissioner said. "In addition, we must recall that the EU is not dependent on any one market, and we will use this situation to further diversify our trade partnerships around the world - to ensure our businesses can grow and thrive globally," he added.
The EU understands that "the US seeks to strengthen its domestic industrial base. As does the EU - we too want to become stronger in manufacturing and innovation," Sefcovic stressed.
"With a mutually beneficial deal, the potential gains for the EU and the U.S. are limitless. This remains the approach we wish to pursue for transatlantic trade," the commissioner added.
On April 2, US President Donald Trump announced introduction of customs duties against imports from many countries. The rate of 20% will apply to the EU.