- 2 days ago
Szef handlu UE: gotowi rozmawiać z USA o zasadach cyfrowych, ale nie zrezygnujemy z przepisów
Po miesiącach nacisków USA unijny komisarz ds. handlu Maroš Šefčovič powiedział Euronews, że Bruksela zgodziła się na „dialog cyfrowy” z Waszyngtonem, jednak amerykańskie cła na stal i aluminium z UE nadal obowiązują.
CZYTAJ WIĘCEJ : http://pl.euronews.com/2026/04/30/szef-handlu-ue-gotowi-rozmawiac-z-usa-o-zasadach-cyfrowych-ale-nie-zrezygnujemy-z-przepiso
Zasubskrybuj nasz kanał.Euronews jest dostępny na Dailymotion w 12 językach
Po miesiącach nacisków USA unijny komisarz ds. handlu Maroš Šefčovič powiedział Euronews, że Bruksela zgodziła się na „dialog cyfrowy” z Waszyngtonem, jednak amerykańskie cła na stal i aluminium z UE nadal obowiązują.
CZYTAJ WIĘCEJ : http://pl.euronews.com/2026/04/30/szef-handlu-ue-gotowi-rozmawiac-z-usa-o-zasadach-cyfrowych-ale-nie-zrezygnujemy-z-przepiso
Zasubskrybuj nasz kanał.Euronews jest dostępny na Dailymotion w 12 językach
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00:12KONIEC
00:30KONIEC
01:00KONIEC
01:03KONIEC
01:30z tych zespołów.
01:33Wydaje, że również, w naszym zespołach,
01:36to jest mixtyma.
01:37W większości od produktych są zgodnie listy.
01:40A również, że większość od administraty
01:46została wymyślona.
01:47Ale jeszcze, w tym momencie,
01:48są bardzo dużo produktów,
01:49które są teraz tarifowane niż wcześniej.
01:52To jest bardzo ważny problem
01:55dla naszych eksporów.
01:56I know that I got very clear negative reactions from the European Parliament.
02:03So that's something what we raised with my colleagues.
02:06We also presented our analyses and we immediately instructed our teams to deal with it more concretely.
02:14And of course, this would be one of the topics which I hope to take up again with Ambassador Greer
02:18when we see each other at the next G7 meeting.
02:21But just specifically in the steel and aluminum, because again, the producers are saying
02:24and this story has been dragging on now for months.
02:2750 percent, and you know this very well, it's almost prohibitive for anyone in this industry.
02:31And they say they're not seeing steps for resolution.
02:34Are you seeing steps for resolutions?
02:36Or frankly, let's be honest, nothing is practically moving.
02:39As I said, something has moved because, I mean...
02:41What makes you believe that?
02:42I think, I mean, if you look at the latest changes, I would say, to how they treat the derivatives.
02:48So indeed, a big part of the products was delisted.
02:50So, I mean, they are out of this very high tariff category.
02:55Then, as I said, administrative burden, which was really excessive, was significantly reduced.
03:01But we still have a problem.
03:02That's very clear.
03:03And therefore, I put on the table again the idea which we kind of arrived at together last year
03:11to create this steel ring, which I believe is the best solution for both of us
03:17because we do not have the problem with our mutual steel trade.
03:19We have a problem with the excessive capacity, which is hitting the global markets.
03:23Of China?
03:24I think it's not China only.
03:26I mean, it comes from other sources as well.
03:30But I just give you the number.
03:31Next year, we accept 720 million tons of excessive capacity of steel.
03:35And European consumption is 140 million.
03:38So it's like, what is it, five times, six times more than we consume in Europe.
03:41So we're getting penalized both ways.
03:42Exactly.
03:43I mean, they have a problem with excessive capacities.
03:45We have a problem with excessive capacities.
03:47So I do not understand why we should hit each other.
03:50And as we get penalized both ways, you just delivered the numbers on top of the tariff
03:53that they have put on the Europeans.
03:55What is their way forward, however?
03:56And I wonder, is this not really making progress at speed because it is connected to digital services?
04:03They have indicated they do see a relation.
04:05I think that how to make progress in this case, I was explaining in great detail our, let's say,
04:13newly adopted steel safeguard.
04:16The fact that we are reducing imports to the EU by 47% and we have so-called out-of
04:21-quota tariffs also on 50%.
04:23So our defensive measures, if it comes to the steel sectors, are very similar.
04:28So it creates a precondition for having, I would say, this steel ring approach.
04:34And I hope that we will make some headway in that regard.
04:36And the U.S., just to close on this chapter, however, they do make a form of amalgamation
04:40between the trade and the digital services and the taxes and also penalties on U.S. digital companies operating in
04:47Europe.
04:47Did you make it clear that there is no connection?
04:50Did they once again push you to say they want to see a watered-down legislation on digital services?
04:55How did this conversation go?
04:56Because they do make a link.
04:58I think that from our perspective, it's very clear that if it comes to digital sovereignty,
05:05it's for us to decide.
05:07So you will not give anything?
05:10We cannot give anything what concerns our legislation.
05:13But we are ready to talk, to explain.
05:16And I think what we both need is a digital dialogue.
05:20So I'm also discussing with my colleagues who have direct responsibility for this matter,
05:25be it Executive Vice President Rivera or Executive Vice President Virkunen.
05:29Because in many aspects, again, we have a very common task.
05:34What do we want and what do we don't want that would appear on the screens for our children?
05:40What kind of content?
05:41Content we are absolutely sure that it shouldn't appear in any computer.
05:47And how we want to make sure that we would have a fair competition among the operators on the digital
05:53market.
05:54So there is a lot of things to discuss.
05:57And I think that in the past, we had a quite good experience with Trade and Technological Council.
06:05And I believe that we would need some kind of alternative when we can have these high-level political discussions
06:10on all sectors.
06:11So that's a very interesting point because the Tega and Trade Council was precisely designed to talk about these topics.
06:16Are you suggesting that the format perhaps is no longer fit for the Trump administration?
06:21Maybe a new format could be needed?
06:23That's my, I would say, personal view, because when we've been brainstorming how to push our relationship forward.
06:30I mean, for us, the Joint Statement is a platform.
06:33Therefore, I believe that both of us, we have to deliver on our commitments.
06:36And based on this platform, I think we need to have a body where we can have, I would say,
06:44this discussion as between the biggest trading partners and closest allies.
06:49Because in many of the areas, we have very similar concerns and similar worries.
06:53And I think this is what we would need.
06:55I know that what I heard from the U.S. side was they just want to avoid to have some
07:00kind of formal structure, which they would describe as a talking show.
07:04They would like to have a structure which would really lead to the discussion on different levels and could bring
07:11really, I would say, results which would be good for both of us.
07:14So the U.S. is saying that tech and trade, they rather prefer direct bilateral talks, not in a very
07:19structural format.
07:20I don't think that we are in that level of discussion yet.
07:24We were just, you know, looking how this could be shared.
07:28But we see that our trade and cooperation is so diverse that clearly you need, you know, the regular discussion
07:38on the irritants which are coming from both sides, on the challenges we are ahead of sight.
07:44And also where we can charge the cooperation for the, you know, for the next period.
07:49And now I want to talk about China because this week the Chinese trade ministry came out with a statement,
07:56guns blazing almost, saying that some of the proposals that the EU and the Commission have put forward, certainly when
08:02it comes to the European industry and made in Europe, are targeting China and they are discriminating Chinese companies.
08:08If they do not get addressed their concerns, they threaten now countermeasures.
08:12Are we heading into a trade war with the Chinese?
08:14We are not interested in any trade wars.
08:17And I made it clear from the day one and I engaged from the day one with our Chinese counterparts.
08:23I was in Beijing.
08:24We had a meeting with Vice Prime Minister Halifeng and I'm in regular contact with my counterpart, Van Guentao.
08:30And I was passing very consistently the same message.
08:35We cannot have a trade deficit of 1 billion euros a day.
08:39We cannot have a deficit of 360 billion a year.
08:43It's simply unsustainable.
08:44Which is not improving.
08:45It's getting worse.
08:46It's not improving. It's getting worse.
08:47I have, of course, very strong economic and political reaction stemming from that.
08:52We just have to also completely reform also how our customs unit is operating because between 2020 and 2026, we
09:01went from 1 to 6 billion parcels coming from China with all the results when you really control the content
09:10of the parcels which are publicly available.
09:12So what I want is to have a constructive engagement with my Chinese counterparts.
09:16How are you going to deal with this challenge?
09:18Because I believe that also understand that this is not sustainable.
09:21I think there are very strong industrial policies in China.
09:25You have the same in US, in Canada, in Japan, in Korea.
09:29So nobody, I mean, should be surprised that European Union, especially if it comes to the public money and public
09:34funds, want also to be promoting.
09:38But I wonder when the Chinese say the EU should not underestimate China's resolve to protect the legitimate interests of
09:45Chinese companies.
09:46And it could put forward measures to counteract those same proposals.
09:51Is that a threat?
09:52I think clearly what is very important here is to avoid threats and to have constructive engagement.
10:00Do you like that tone when they put out a statement like that?
10:03Is that acceptable to you?
10:05To immediately go into countermeasures?
10:06I think that I think we as a, let's say, trade ministers and trade commissioners, we have a huge responsibility
10:15in front of our economic operators.
10:20Therefore, I think what we need is indeed strategic patience, lots of courage to deal with the difficult issues, because
10:27the war is easy to declare, but it's very difficult to stop.
10:31And therefore, I think what we need is to have regular structured talk, also with China.
10:38Therefore, I invited also Chinese foreign ministers to visit Brussels, because I think that we need really to have very
10:44thorough assessment.
10:46What is the current situation and what is the plans for the future?
10:51Because I think that also from their perspective, it's clear that we cannot have the space of growing trade deficit
10:57with China, because that would be simply politically and economically not feasible.
11:01But they don't seem to want to address it, at least not at speed.
11:04But I wonder, there is a pattern now in which every time the European Union tries to put forward measures
11:09to become stronger, to revive its industrial base, to become more sovereign in a very tough global environment,
11:15Immediately, there is a pattern of threats, potential retaliation coming from China.
11:22Can you work like this?
11:23I think I would definitely prefer, you know, to solve our problems before we are resorting to these measures.
11:32And I would just also invite, as I did, some of our Chinese counterparts to compare our policies to the
11:42policies how they treat European businesses and how they treat the European companies in China.
11:50And that's a very consistent message, which we from the EU are passing over for the years.
11:56So I think that now we are entering, I would say, the level where we really need to adopt the
12:03concrete measures, because today we are in such a fast-pacing world that in one year you can lose the
12:09whole industry.
12:10And therefore, I think that there is a resolve from the European member states to do much more to protect
12:15the jobs, to protect the businesses, to protect the economic performance in the European Union.
12:19And it's just pretty natural, and you see it in all other countries in the world.
12:23And China clearly is turbocharging its companies through a very aggressive state subsidy policy.
12:27That is a reality to have you consider, maybe even prepare it, to say, if this continues, we're going to
12:33have to wait measures such as the anti-coercion tool.
12:36I think that we never kind of threaten our partners.
12:42We definitely don't do it in the media.
12:45In the media, we are really discussing the issues on the topic basis, and I believe there is a host
12:52of other things how we can deal with this issue.
12:55Of course, it requires...
12:57But would you say, the way that you said it with regards to the U.S. at the start of
13:00the year, that this was something the EU would not hesitate if its interests are threatened fundamentally to use, would
13:06you apply that kind of criteria on China too?
13:08I think that, of course, that's very clear.
13:10I mean, that we've been, I would say, crystal clear about that, that we would fight a tooth and nail
13:17for every European job, for every European company, for every European sector, if we see that they are treated unfairly.
13:23That's our job.
13:24And therefore, we have the international rules.
13:27Therefore, we have very clear provisions how the subsidies should be offered.
13:32And therefore, our key topics for the reform of WTO was to restore level playing field and to reflect how
13:40the situation in geoeconomics has shifted from 1995 until 2026.
13:49What has changed?
13:50What is the political and economic weight of several countries?
13:54And this has to be factored in because we cannot stay the last, large, super open economy where some countries
14:01are taking advantage of.
14:02You've been all around the world cutting trade deals and the clear mandate for you now is to reach out
14:06to the world and make more deals.
14:08So, well, obviously, I'm a journalist.
14:11I would love to know who comes next.
14:12But tell us about the pipeline.
14:14Yeah, I think that if you look at, I would say, the oral strategy is actually, I can put it
14:21in a few words.
14:21We want to stabilize our relationship with the U.S., rebalance our trade with China and open new market access
14:28for our companies throughout the world.
14:30So, we concluded the agreement with India, with Mercosur, with Indonesia, with Australia.
14:36And I hope that all of these deals would enter into force this year.
14:40Tomorrow, we are starting provisionally applying Mercosur.
14:43On India, is there any progress, any update?
14:45The Indians seem to be very keen on getting this done.
14:47Yeah, we want all the deals which we agreed upon to make sure that we would complete our ratification process
14:55this year.
14:56Of course, it's a big discussion.
14:57And that means before the summer?
14:59No, I think that we would need until the end of the year.
15:13The end of the year.
15:14To get them officially approved and ratified.
15:17You've been asking what's next.
15:19So, we are progressing very well with Philippines.
15:22So, I hope that this can be done also this year.
15:26And the next year, we have high hopes for making significant progress with Thailand and Malaysia.
15:33So, that would cover, I would say, almost all region of ASEAN.
15:36And, of course, especially after the last week when the GCC country has been invited to the European Council,
15:44I want to use this new political momentum and dynamic to advance with the UAE.
15:49And we are also looking with the GCC, if we can relaunch the trade talks with the whole region,
15:57which has been on the table for more than 30 years.
16:00So, the Philippines, you're hoping that this gets done this year?
16:04I think that there are all ingredients on the table that we can conclude the negotiation with Philippines this year.
16:11That's the goal.
16:12It's very difficult to give you the more precise timetable because it also depends on political events
16:16and political availability of all actors who are involved in these negotiations.
16:21But that's the ideal plan.
16:23When it comes to the GCC, it's clear, and they have been very open about this,
16:26that they see momentum and they want to make this deal too.
16:30However, do you see this as a deal as GCC in full?
16:35Or are you now looking at bilateral deals among GCC countries because it's going to be easier?
16:40I think that not only us, but also, for example, UAE,
16:45and I have to say some other countries from the regions kind of felt...
16:50Like who else?
16:51I think what we heard that also Oman and others that if there will be no kind of chance to
17:02kind of revive
17:03and bring some, I would say, momentum on the region-to-region negotiations,
17:08that they would be ready to go on bilateral basis.
17:11But the biggest progress so far we have made with UAE.
17:16I mean, we had several rounds of negotiations.
17:19Now we go through the most difficult chapters.
17:23But we've been very clear from the beginning that we do not see it as a separate deal.
17:28We see it as one of the building blocks of the whole region-to-region progress.
17:33And we see, especially also these days, that our economy is actually very complementary.
17:37So I think it would be a good deal for both of us.
17:40But we have to kind of make the progress on some of the issues which are difficult.
17:48And they are the reason why the negotiation takes such a long time.
17:52And just lastly, your colleague Sabine Vejant, you put out a statement,
17:56well, a tweet in this age where you said it had been fantastic to work with her
18:00and you really paid a tribute to the work that she did with you and for DG Trade
18:04and in all of these very complex deals which are fundamentally very difficult to get done.
18:08But, of course, this is Brussels and people like to talk.
18:11And one of the theories going around is that she may have paid a price for being critical about the
18:18U.S.-EU deal,
18:19which, of course, she said was not quite a negotiation.
18:23Is there any truth to that?
18:24I think that you describe Brussels very nice, that the people here like to talk.
18:27You know, we go with Sabine Vejant a long way because we've been dealing together.
18:32She was very instrumental in, I would say, getting Brexit done.
18:35So I was, and I'm still responsible for this relationship.
18:39So I know how much she did in that regard and look at the results.
18:44I mean, we wouldn't achieve such impressive results over the last year and a half
18:49if we wouldn't be, I mean, working extremely well together with the Director General.
18:54So he's a brilliant tactician, excellent tactician.
19:00She has a huge, huge expertise.
19:02And, of course, I mean, we are there to make the best possible choices.
19:08So you discuss, you ponder, you look for different options.
19:11But once we agreed upon something, we've been really working together.
19:15And she was very instrumental in all these deals, including in working on the deal with U.S.
19:22and then, of course, on all the implementation, which was not an easy feat.
19:26So I just really would like to thank her.
19:30And I think the institutions did it because she really provided exemplary and excellent service
19:36to the European Union and to the European services and to the Commission.
19:40And there is life after the Commission.
19:42Sometimes it seems in Brussels there isn't, but there is a world out there.
19:46So, Commissioner...
19:47Absolutely, absolutely.
19:47Well, thank you very much.
19:48And my vibe reminds me of that very often.
19:50So you keep it in mind.
19:52Commissioner, thank you very much.
19:54Thank you very much.
19:55Thank you.
19:55Thank you for having me.
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