German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he will go to Washington to discuss the changed customs situation with US President Donald Trump.
"This is an interesting decision that many were waiting for. The Supreme Court of Washington has shown the administration the limits of its powers in matters of customs policy," Mertz said in an interview with ARD TV after the Christian Democratic Union convention in Stuttgart. He explained that the ruling refers to the general customs rate, not to the sectoral tariffs.
According to the chancellor, negotiations with the US president will be preceded by EU consultations in order to develop a "clear European position". "Customs policy is the responsibility of the European Union, not individual member states. I will go to Washington with a coordinated European position," continued Mertz.
"First of all, this (tariffs - ed.) harms the country that sets them," the head of the government stated. According to him, Germany also feels the tension because it supplies less goods. "But, in the end, it is the consumers in the USA who pay more," Mertz explained, calling the American court's decision a positive news. "Separation of powers seems to still work in the US, and that's good news," Mertz concluded.
According to Bild newspaper, the Chancellor of Germany will visit the USA in early March, where he is expected to meet with President Donald Trump. The meeting at the White House is scheduled for March 3.
