Just two short weeks − that's all the time that Europe has left to reach a trade agreement with Washington. If they fail, on July 9 their exports could fall prey to the whims of US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 50%. It's urgent for the 27 member states to find a strategy, as the continent is struggling economically and a trade war with its main trading partner would weaken it even further.

On Thursday, June 26, in Brussels, where he met with his European counterparts, Friedrich Merz insisted on reaching "a trade agreement quickly." In recent days, the German chancellor has repeatedly shown impatience with the European Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the 27 member states and whose approach, he said, was "slow and complicated." In his view, they need to find a "quick and simple" agreement focused on a few major sectors, such as cars, steel, or pharmaceuticals.

Since returning to the White House, Trump has raised tariffs by 50% on steel and aluminum, 25% on cars, and 10% on a broad range of products. This has hit German industry especially hard. "BMW is losing €10 million a day," sources in Berlin said. As a result, Germany is willing to make some sacrifices – even if it means the European Union (EU) will not come away unscathed.

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