Scotland, crucial hours for tariffs. Von der Leyen and Trump meet soon. The tycoon: "Agreement? 50-50."
Today is the long-awaited face-to-face meeting between Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump, with the issue of tariffs on the table: "I will meet with Trump only to close the deal, not to discuss it," the President of the European Commission said yesterday. She was joined by EU negotiator Maros Sefcovic . The American president gave a 50-50 chance that an agreement would be reached, answering reporters while playing golf at his resort in Scotland. And Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnkick , present at the summit with Jamieson Greer , ruled out any extensions beyond August 1st, the date on which the 30% tariff will take effect. The possibility of reaching an agreement with a reciprocal 15% tariff is on the table, but Washington wants Europe to backtrack on the web tax . The stakes are very high. According to Confartigianato , 25,037 Italian companies exported directly and steadily to the US in the three-year period 2022-2024, for sales of €56.4 billion in 2024 alone. Among these is a cluster of 6,259 vulnerable companies as they concentrate more than 50% of their total exports, equal to €11.1 billion, on the US market.
Lutnick: "The EU must offer more openings to US exports."
US Secretary of Commerce Edward Lutnick details the negotiations: "The question is whether the EU will offer Trump enough" for the president to "withdraw the threat of 30% tariffs," which will kick in on August 1st in the absence of a deal. "Europe needs and wants a deal with us," he adds. What is the White House's goal? "For the EU to be more open to American exports in its market."
Lutnick: "The August 1st deadline is definitive, there will be no extension."
The August 1st tariff deadline "is final, there will be no extension," said U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
Interview with Gros. "The web tax doesn't work; it's better to sacrifice it."
Trump confirms: "A 50-50 deal with the EU"
The chances of the United States reaching a tariff deal with the EU are "50-50," US President Donald Trump said in response to a question from Sky News's Scottish correspondent about the chances of an agreement ahead of his meeting with Ursula von der Leyen. The reporter intercepted Trump while he was playing golf at his Trump Turnberry resort in Scotland, Sky News reports.
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