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According to reports from Reuters, the European Commission on Monday (16th) firmly rejected claims by the media that "the EU is prepared to accept a unified 10% tariff on European goods imposed by the US," emphasizing that these assertions are mere speculation and do not reflect the current state of trade negotiations.

Earlier, Germany's Handelsblatt reported that to avoid higher tariffs by the US on EU cars, pharmaceuticals, and electronic products, the EU negotiators in Brussels were prepared to accept the proposed 10% comprehensive tariff from the US. However, the European Commission subsequently issued a statement refuting these claims, stressing that negotiations are still ongoing and no agreement has been reached.

In the statement, the EU pointed out: "From the beginning, the EU has opposed unreasonable and illegal US tariff measures, and the notion that the EU accepts a 10% tariff on all export goods from the US is purely speculative and does not reflect the true state of negotiations."

Later this week, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is expected to meet with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at the G7 summit in Canada to pave the way for the next phase of negotiations.

Since the launch of the tariff offensive by the Trump administration, EU exporters have faced numerous punitive tariffs, including tariffs as high as 50% on steel and aluminum products, 25% on cars and parts, and 10% on most other goods. Should no new agreement be reached, these rates may be increased again as early as July, as the US only announced a 90-day delay.

Trump has recently emphasized reducing the trade deficit with the EU and publicly criticized the trade mechanisms established by the EU as "designed to exploit America." While the UK signed a limited bilateral agreement with the US in May, agreeing to maintain a 10% tariff rate on export goods and simultaneously lower tariffs on steel and automobiles, the 27 member nations of the EU have clearly expressed that such arrangements are unacceptable.

However, US officials have stated that the baseline of a 10% tariff will not be compromised in negotiations with any trade partner, and this stance has also been privately communicated to the EU, raising significant alert within its ranks.