EU and US to restart trade talks as sticking points on July tariff deal remain

Group 1: Trade Negotiations - The EU and US are set to restart trade negotiations after a two-month pause to address unresolved issues in their tariff deal from July [1][2] - High-level meetings will take place in Brussels involving US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, trade representative Jamieson Greer, EU ministers, commissioners, and industry leaders [1][2] Group 2: Tariff Issues - Washington officials express frustration over the EU's slow implementation of the July deal, which is not legally binding and requires parliamentary approval [3] - Significant outstanding issues include the 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, separate tariffs on steel-containing products, and food and drink levies [3] Group 3: Member State Concerns - Several EU member states, including France and Ireland, are advocating for the removal of the 15% tax on wine and spirits, which has impacted their exports [4] - The EU's trade commissioner and other officials will discuss the ongoing chip supply crisis from China during the meetings [4] Group 4: Industry Impact - Industry leaders, including those from Volkswagen and TotalEnergies, will participate in discussions, emphasizing the need to address the impact of steel derivatives on the trade deal [5] - The US has listed 407 products with steel elements facing separate tariffs, with plans to add 700 more products, causing significant challenges for exporters [5][6] Group 5: Strategic Alignment - The EU and US will explore aligning their domestic steel industries to protect against cheaper Chinese imports, with hopes that new anti-dumping proposals will lead to reduced tariffs on EU steel [7]