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EU's Tusk hits back at Trump saying trade wars 'bad and easy to lose' EU says talks 'the prime option' in US tariffs row Mexico, EU push back new trade deal to 2018 Trump's immigration checklist: Love for US, English, Skill EU 'should be excluded' from US tariffs: top European trade official -
It's clear, we need clarity to the situation," Katainen said. "We are also looking at the option to be excluded." He said he hoped for greater clarity when US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer visits Brussels on Saturday for long-planned talks that are now a de facto crisis meeting. Katainen echoed remarks earlier by EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem who said the bloc was "not preparing for battle" but had to be ready to protect its industry. Malmstroem said dialogue was the "prime option" for the bloc. Brussels has already drawn up a hit list of flagship American products to target for countermeasures if its exports are affected by the tariffs including peanut butter, bourbon whiskey and orange juice. On Thursday Trump imposed the tariffs -- 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminium -- despite repeated warnings from the EU and other allies that this could trigger a full-scale trade war. They are due to take effect in the next two weeks.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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