BERLIN (Reuters) -German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil is dissatisfied with the European Union’s trade deal with the United States, as he thinks it will take a toll on Germany’ economic growth, he said on Wednesday.
“I have no illusions about it, it is rather growth-weakening,” Klingbeil said in the presentation of the 2026 draft budget, lamenting that the EU was “too weak” in the negotiations.
The U.S. struck a framework trade agreement with the EU on Sunday, imposing a 15% import tariff on most EU goods.
“I would have wished for a different outcome,” Klingbeil said. “Still, all in all, it is good that there is an agreement with the U.S., that there are no further escalations.”
(Reporting by Maria Martinez, Editing by Rachel More)
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