European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump will meet in Scotland on Sunday, a few days before the deadline for new high US tariffs on EU imports.
The meeting will take place at 16:30 local time in Turnbury, on the southwest coast of Scotland, where Trump spent Saturday playing golf, and comes after weeks of negotiations between Brussels and Washington.
Before leaving for Scotland, Trump reiterated that he saw the prospect of a deal as 50-50, echoing comments he had made earlier.
“We are meeting with the European Union and it would actually be the biggest deal of all, if we succeed”.
Sunday’s meeting comes days before Aug. 1, when Trump said he would impose 30 percent tariffs on imports from the European Union over alleged trade imbalances.
However, the US president has left open the possibility of waiving the higher tariff if the bloc opens more of its market to the US.
The EU has been trying for weeks to reach a deal with Washington to avoid raising tariffs on European products.
The meeting will give von der Leyen and Trump a chance to “look at and consider options for a balanced outcome that ensures stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic,” a spokeswoman for the commission president said.
German Chancellor Friedrich Mecke recently indicated that a deal could be reached soon in the trade dispute. The US president recently agreed with Japan on tariffs of 15 percent – significantly lower than initially planned.
