European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom says that new U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs are distorting global trade and could damage hopes for economic growth.
Malmstrom told reporters Wednesday that “we are a seeing a recovery and a potential growth in trade and global growth but it is threatened by these tariffs.”
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Europe’s top trade official added: “we can see already tendencies of distortion of trade that affects the EU as well.”
Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump slapped tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10 percent on imported aluminum, but granted the EU a temporary exemption until May 1.
