German Finance Minister To Push For Steel Quotas On Washington Trip

German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil will advocate for a quota system on steel exports to be included in the EU’s trade deal with the U.S. during a meeting with his American counterpart, Scott Bessent, Holger Hansen and Miranda Murray reported for Reuters.

Several chapters of the trade agreement between the US and Germany remain unresolved. I Photo: Federal Ministry of Finance

“There is talk of a quota system for steel, and it would be good if there were one,” Klingbeil told Deutschlandfunk radio before his planned meeting in Washington. Several chapters of the trade agreement remain unresolved, he said, and steel is a particularly important issue for the German economy and for jobs.

“I will test out what steps the U.S. government is prepared to take and what the solution might look like,” said Klingbeil, even though the EU is officially responsible for negotiations.

The EU's trade deal with the Trump administration in July was met with a mix of relief and frustration. Tariffs were set at 15% for most products, but negotiations continue for key sectors, including steel and aluminum, which currently face tariffs of 50%.