The European Commission yesterday criticised German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil’s comments about his disappointment over the European Union’s trade deal with the United States.
“I must admit we were quite surprised to hear this statement from the German minister,” a spokesman for the Brussels-based authority said this at a press conference in Brussels.
“I would remind you that EU member states and business stakeholders have consistently underscored that a trade conflict with the U.S. was not a desirable course of action.”
The commission did not specify which of Klingbeil’s statements had caused surprise.
However, it referred to comments in media reports that expressed views inconsistent with the discussions the commission had held with Germany in recent weeks and months.
Prior to his talks on Monday in Washington with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Kingbeil criticised the EU’s negotiating tactics.
“I think we were too weak. We cannot be satisfied with the result that was achieved,” he said.
He added that it was necessary to reflect on the outcomes of the debates over the past weeks.
The commission stated that EU member states, including Germany, had stressed that only a negotiated solution could ensure stability.
U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed on a base tariff rate of 15 per cent on most EU imports to the United States in the months-long trade conflict.
Not only politicians but also business representatives have expressed disappointment with the agreement.
“The agreement is an inadequate compromise and sends a disastrous signal to the closely intertwined economies on both sides of the Atlantic,” the Federation of German Industries (BDI) said.