00:00Let's now go to Bernd Lange because he is a top negotiator for this file.
00:04A deal has been agreed yesterday at night. Let's go straight to our guest in Strasbourg.
00:10And sir, you've had no sleep. So thank you so much for joining us.
00:14I've got to admit, I've defended you many times every time you've delayed the vote
00:20because this is a consequential decision for Europeans.
00:23Nonetheless, I'm surprised you've now agreed to it. What changed?
00:28First of all, it's not a deal. It's a legislation, and that's really important.
00:33And therefore, we had to be really careful.
00:36And secondly, we are not really delaying the process.
00:41The only delay we had was during the so-called Greenland exercise,
00:47where President Trump really used coercive measures against us.
00:52So now we have a safety net. So we are looking for safeguard mechanisms, for a monitoring system.
00:59We are looking really to suspension clause. And we have also a clear sunset for the whole legislation.
01:06So this is a package which gives predictability and safety for us, for our consumer, for our industry.
01:13Therefore, I'm quite happy that you concluded it.
01:16But, sir, do you honestly believe that? Do you think you're going to have a more stable relationship with President
01:21Trump?
01:22Because some would argue you've agreed to it, because it's threatening you to double tariffs on the cars.
01:26That's really what changed. Nothing else.
01:30Yeah, of course. We have now security, and that's so important.
01:34If, and as you know, this current legal base in the United States, the Strait Act 1 to 2, is
01:41expiring on the 24th of July.
01:43And nobody knows what will come after.
01:46And we have now clear criteria that if our deal is not respected on the U.S. side, then we
01:53will lift again the tariffs.
01:56Or secondly, as you know, the United States have really increased tariff for washing machine and other products after the
02:06deal of Scotland was concluded.
02:07And we want to bring them back. And also this has to be in our legislation.
02:12So this gives us insurance that we can act in a proper way if there are turbulences on the other
02:20side of the Atlantic.
02:21Mr. Lange, some would say it's in fact the opposite. The safeguards have been watered down.
02:26There is a clause here that argues the deal can be halted, but only after 2029.
02:31President Trump will be gone by then.
02:33Do you really believe you have the safeguards in place so that this is a balanced deal?
02:40I will not make any comment on the deal of Scotland.
02:44Now we have really a safety net.
02:46And yes, we have safeguards.
02:48We will have a monitoring of the economic consequences inside the European Union starting three months after this legislation is
02:57coming into force.
02:59And we have a lot of suspension clauses.
03:01And we have also clear regulation that if the United States will not decrease the tariffs for this metal product
03:10until the end of the year, then we will lift our tariffs for this product.
03:17And yes, we have a sunset clause.
03:19And this is really totally new.
03:21This was not foreseen.
03:22We will have an impact assessment about the whole exercise.
03:25And then we will start negotiations after three years with the United States.
03:30So there is a really big package for giving us predictability.
03:35Although, of course, the sunset clause only kicks in in 2029, one year after President Trump's office.
03:40But I have to ask you about steel and aluminum because this is very important for the European industry.
03:44What makes you think the U.S. will agree to lower them from 50 percent?
03:47Because we have seen no movement over a year.
03:50This is very painful for the European industry.
03:54That's not totally correct.
03:56So we have some movement on the 2nd of April.
03:59So I'm a motor cycle driver.
04:03And motorcycles are relieved from this tariff.
04:06So back to 50 percent.
04:08And some other products as well.
04:10But not all of them.
04:11So we are in contact.
04:13And we give them a time until the end of the year.
04:16And if then it's not happening, then we will come back to our terrorists.
04:21So there is some room for maneuver on the U.S. side.
04:25And I hope that the U.S. administration will act properly.
04:31I just have to ask a final question.
04:33Now that you've agreed to expedite this, you say, I hope the U.S. will agree and comply too.
04:38Do you trust President Trump ultimately?
04:40Do you honestly believe he will go through his words?
04:46You never know what is coming in his mind.
04:50But we have the possibility to act.
04:52So if the conditions are not fulfilled, then we will reestablish immediately the European
04:58tariffs for U.S. products.
05:00And this is a clear message.
05:03Stick, President Trump, to the deal of Scotland.
05:07Then, of course, we can act in a proper way.
05:10If not, then we have our countermeasures ready.
05:13Well, Mr. Lange, thank you so much.
05:15I know you had a very short night.
05:16So thank you.
05:17I appreciate it for joining us this morning.
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