EU May Delay First Counter-tariffs against US to Mid-April

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
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EU May Delay First Counter-tariffs against US to Mid-April

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: European Union flags flutter outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium August 21, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

The European Union could delay imposition of a first set of counter-measures against the United States over President Donald Trump's steel and aluminium tariffs until mid-April, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Thursday.

The European Commission had proposed re-imposing tariffs on 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) of US products on April 1, followed by hitting a further 18 billion euros of US goods on April 13, Reuters said.

"We are now considering to align the timing of the two sets of EU counter-measures so we can consult with member states on both lists simultaneously, and this would also give us extra time for negotiations with our American partners," Sefcovic told a hearing at the European Parliament.

The first set of EU counter-measures includes applying a 50% tariff on US bourbon. Trump threatened to slap a 200% tariff on all wines and other alcoholic products coming from the EU if the bloc went ahead with this.

The Trump administration is also planning further tariffs on April 2.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said on Sunday that the EU was probably mistaken in targeting American whiskey, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni cautioned EU partners on Tuesday against escalating the trade dispute with the United States.

"I am not certain that responding to tariffs with more tariffs is necessarily a good deal," Meloni, who is close to Trump, said.



China's ENN, Zhenhua Oil Agree LNG Deals with ADNOC

Logos of ADNOC are seen at Gastech, the world's biggest expo for the gas industry, in Chiba, Japan, April 4, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
Logos of ADNOC are seen at Gastech, the world's biggest expo for the gas industry, in Chiba, Japan, April 4, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
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China's ENN, Zhenhua Oil Agree LNG Deals with ADNOC

Logos of ADNOC are seen at Gastech, the world's biggest expo for the gas industry, in Chiba, Japan, April 4, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
Logos of ADNOC are seen at Gastech, the world's biggest expo for the gas industry, in Chiba, Japan, April 4, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

China's privately controlled ENN Natural Gas and state-run Zhenhua Oil have each signed a term deal to buy liquefied natural gas from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC).

ENN Natural Gas said on its official WeChat account on Saturday that the deal covers annual supplies of about one million metric tons for 15 years, marking ADNOC's largest LNG contract with a Chinese buyer, Reuters reported.

Separately, state oil and gas trader Zhenhua Oil agreed a 5-year deal starting 2026 for annual volumes of up to 12 cargoes, said a Chinese industry source with direct knowledge of the agreement.

Zhenhua Oil was not immediately available for comment on a weekend day.