BRUSSELS — The European Union has invited U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to Brussels on Nov. 24 for talks with the bloc’s trade ministers, a Danish official familiar with the situation told POLITICO.
The Danish presidency of the Council of the EU, as well as the European Commission, have invited the commerce secretary to attend a lunch with ministers dedicated to trade relations between the United States and the EU. The invitation comes as rifts with China over its latest export controls on rare earths redefine relations between Washington, Beijing and Brussels.
Lutnick hasn’t yet formally confirmed his attendance at the ministerial meeting, the official added.
The invitation, which has been in the works for months, comes as Brussels and Washington are still going through the implementation of commitments struck in Scotland in July between U.S. President Donald Trump and the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill confirmed the invitation had been extended to Lutnick.
Brussels is still pressing Washington for tariff exemptions on sensitive sectors such as spirits and chemicals, and has raised concerns about the U.S. expanding its list of derivative steel products subject to a 50 percent tariff.
EU countries will be informed of the invitation on Friday, with ambassadors set to discuss it on Nov. 5. It builds upon recent contact between EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, whose country is currently chairing legislative work for the Council, the bloc’s intergovernmental arm.
G7 allies are meanwhile seeking to coordinate their responses to China’s grip on the supply of the minerals that are crucial for tech such as wind turbines, electric vehicles and drones. The European Commission on Friday is hosting a delegation of Chinese officials to discuss the latest export controls.
The U.S. Department of Commerce was contacted for comment.
Daniel Desrochers contributed to this report.
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