Schultz says the European Union is united in its trade dispute with the United States

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the EU-ASEAN summit on December 14, 2022 in Brussels afp_tickers

This content was published on Dec 14, 2022 – 15:02

(AFP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that the European Union will stand united in its dispute with the United States over US President Joe Biden’s climate plan and his support for “green”, which Europeans consider discriminatory.

Schultz stressed in a speech in the House of Representatives ahead of the EU-ASEAN summit in Brussels that the plan “makes an impressive contribution to the transformation of the US economy.”

He added that the Europeans “have always wanted the United States to go in this direction.”

He stressed that this package of measures “should not prevent fair competition”. “That is why I strongly support the intensive talks that the European Commission is conducting with the United States,” said the head of the German government.

“I have spoken with the President of the United States because we must not allow them to divide us in our transatlantic relationship,” he insisted.

“On the contrary, instead of arguing, we should work more closely and promote fair trade with the United States,” he said.

Tensions between the European Union and the United States have been exacerbated by the adoption last summer of this great climate plan, which foresees investments worth 420,000 million dollars, an important part in the form of subsidies and tax cuts, especially for electric cars, batteries and renewable energy projects that favor “Made in the USA”.

The Europeans do not agree to this plan, considering these subsidies discriminatory measures and contrary to the rules of the World Trade Organization.