| POSSIBLE DIALOGUE? "Our ultimate goal is to reach an agreement with the EU to end all WTO-inconsistent subsidies to large civil aircraft. When the EU ends these harmful subsidies, the additional U.S. duties imposed in response can be lifted," U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said in a statement on April 8. Whether additional tariffs will actually come into effect remains to be seen, but Brussels is clearly seeking to resolve the issue through dialogue. Brussels doesn't want a "tit-for-tat," the European Commissioner for trade Cecilia Malmstrom said in a Wednesday statement, "while we need to be ready with countermeasures in case there is no other way out, I still believe that dialogue is what should prevail between important partners such as the EU and the U.S., including in bringing an end to this long-standing dispute. The EU remains open for discussions with the U.S., provided these are without preconditions and aim at a fair outcome." But the transatlantic trade ties have been under pressure for some time, especially since the Trump administration slapped tariffs on EU's metal exports in the name of national security, where Brussels hit back with tariffs of its own. U.S. President Donald Trump also threatened the EU with fresh levies on cars made in the EU. | 
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