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Over lunch, EU trade ministers and exchanged views with US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The discussion was forward looking and focused on the transatlantic trade relationship after concluding the EU-US Joint Statement on trade of 21 August 2025 and shared global challenges linked for instance on global overcapacities, supply chain resilience and economic security.
Today’s discussions reaffirmed the EU and US’s shared commitment to fully implementing the August Joint Statement and building on the progress we’ve made to ensure stable, fair, and predictable trade. We are determined to move forward together, without undermining the balance of the agreement as we continue addressing shared challenges and strengthening our economic ties.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark’s minister for foreign affairs
Ministers and commissioner Šefčovič underlined that the joint statement has restored an important measure of predictability and stability to transatlantic trade. At the same time, they stressed the importance of addressing global challenges together. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continue intensive engagement in the months ahead.
Ministers held an exchange of view on the state of play of and future prospects for EU-China trade relations, set against a context of growing imbalances. The Council reviewed the widening trade deficit, longstanding market-access restrictions and China’s continued use of trade as leverage, including through export controls on critical raw materials and restrictions affecting semiconductors.
The Commission provided an update on its recent engagement with Chinese counterparts, including on the export controls on rare earth elements, which Chinese authorities suspended globally for one year following the US-China understanding.
Ministers agreed that the temporary suspension did not address the underlying vulnerability and highlighted the need to accelerate diversification of supply sources, deepen cooperation with like-minded partners and continue implementing the EU’s de-risking strategy.
Ministers took stock of progress across the EU’s network of ongoing bilateral trade negotiations. They emphasised the importance of trade diversification in the current context of geoeconomic instability and fragmentation. The discussion focused in particular on India, where negotiations have entered a critical phase. The Commission outlined recent work on a possible trade agreement aiming to secure a commercially meaningful outcome in the coming months.
Ministers discussed the core elements of a potential package, including tariff liberalisation for industrial goods, removal of non-tariff barriers, and the need for the EU to secure at least the same level of market access that India may grant to other third countries.
During the discussion, ministers also expressed their support for the swift finalisation of work on the already negotiated agreements and for continuing the engagement in the ongoing negotiations.
Under ‘other business’, the European Commission informed ministers on its annual report on the implementation and enforcement of EU trade policy, and commissioner Šefčovič presented his annual progress report on simplification, implementation and enforcement.
Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden informed ministers about their requests for a Commission proposal on additional tariffs on products imported from Russia and Belarus.
Lithuania also briefed ministers on the situation at the border with Belarus following recent hybrid attack and its trade aspects, including the closure of the border and the impacts on freight traffic.
