Polish trade minister plays down 50% U.S. tariff threat, says U.S. EU trade talks ongoing

Poland's Trade Minister Michal Baranowski played down on Friday the threat of the United States imposing 50% tariffs on European goods from June 1 as part of ongoing negotiations, underlining there was time for EU-U.S. talks until early July.

Earlier on Friday, President Donald Trump said he was recommending a straight 50% tariff on goods from the European Union starting on June 1, because trade negotiations with the EU were "going nowhere".

"The European Union and the United States are negotiating. Some negotiate behind closer doors, others more in front of cameras," Baranowski, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the 27-nation European Union, told reporters.

"The fact that we see some important statements in the public domain does not mean that they will translate into actions of the U.S. administration," he said.

"So far we have a clear signal, also at the political level, that the United States and the European Union have decided to hold back with reciprocal tariffs. We have time until early July to conduct negotiations and according to my best knowledge these negotiations are moving forward," Baranowski said.

"(EU) Trade Commissioner (Maros) Sefcovic and will see U.S. chief negotiator (Jamieson) Greer at the beginning of June in Paris which will be another opportunity to discussion concrete steps, rather than talk in such generalities," Baranowski said.