Luxembourg Foreign Minister Expects Strengthened EU-US Cooperation following Elections

Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, participated in yesterday's session of the EU Foreign Affairs Trade Council, which was held via video conference.

The virtual meeting first allowed ministers to discuss the prospects for trade relations with the United States, in light of the results of the country's presidential and legislative elections.

In this regard, Minister Jean Asselborn anticipated a strengthening of multilateral and bilateral cooperation between the US and the EU. He stated: "Whilst certain disagreements with the American authorities in matters of international trade will doubtless persist, the glance turned towards the future of the new president gives us hope from now on: I hope that we will be able to find common denominators and to work together for better international cooperation, in particular with regard to climate change, the use of tariffs which hurt consumers and businesses as well as the reform of the rules-based international trading system”.

Luxembourg's Foreign Minister also raised the matter of safeguarding measures which protect the European steel industry from the effects of customs duties put in place by the US. With such measures expiring next June, Minister Jean Asselborn called on the European Commission to consider the means to be implemented to continue to safeguard the interests of Europe's steel industry.

The trade ministers then considered issues related to the review of the EU's trade policy and the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Regarding the Trade Policy Review, Minister Jean Asselborn expressed Luxembourg's support for the proposals, stressing the importance of linking trade more with the empowerment and strengthening of women's rights.

Ministers also discussed EU-China trade relations.