贝森特：欧盟可能在贸易方面存在“集体行动问题”

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Bessent, highlighted the "collective action problem" within the EU, which is hindering trade negotiations between the U.S. and the EU, despite the expectation of a satisfactory conclusion in the future [1] Group 1: Trade Negotiation Challenges - The "collective action problem" refers to the differing interests among EU member states, complicating negotiations [1] - Bessent noted that the trade talks with the EU will progress more slowly compared to negotiations with other countries [1] - The EU has a significant trade surplus with the U.S., amounting to $250 billion, despite ongoing tensions [1] Group 2: EU Internal Dynamics - Analysts suggest that Bessent's mention of the "collective action problem" may be an attempt to exploit divisions within the EU, although no significant rifts have been observed [2] - EU member states maintain a unified overall strategy, but there are specific disagreements on details, with some leaders establishing direct communication with Trump [2] - The European Central Bank President, Lagarde, emphasized the need for the EU Commission to lead trade negotiations [2] Group 3: EU's Proposed Cooperation - The EU has proposed cooperation options in key sectors such as liquefied natural gas, artificial intelligence, metals, automotive, semiconductors, and aviation [2] - The Trump administration has welcomed these proposals but has not clarified potential outcomes regarding existing tariffs [2] Group 4: Comparison with Asian Negotiations - In contrast, trade negotiations with Asian countries, including Japan and Indonesia, are progressing more smoothly, with recent announcements of temporary tariff reductions between the U.S. and China [3] - Bessent indicated that negotiations in the Asian market are relatively favorable compared to the prolonged discussions with the EU [3]