EU chief sees new US trade deal ‘in a few weeks’

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday said a trade accord between Europe and the United States was possible within weeks, despite renewed threats by Washington to slap tariffs on EU cars.

“Overall I had a very good conversation with” US President Donald Trump, Von der Leyen told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“We are expecting in a few weeks to have an agreement that we can sign together,” she said, adding that the deal would cover trade, technology and energy.

Von der Leyen, who leads the EU’s executive arm, spoke just minutes after Trump left the Davos forum pledging to turn his attention to Europe that he said had treated the US unfairly on trade.

The former German defence minister gave few details on the plan, but said the deal would be a “new approach” from a previous attempt towards a transatlantic trade deal announced in 2017.

“It is not a good idea that we engage in trade disputes (that last) months, but that we sit down together, that we negotiate, that we find solutions, we exchange (data) and that we exchange views on fairness,” she added.