BERLIN (AP) 鈥� Senior French and German officials warned Wednesday that recent measures by the Biden administration to address climate change and boost the American economy could upend the 鈥渓evel playing field鈥� on trade between the European Union and the United States.
The EU has criticized the legislation, , for including clauses that it says .
鈥淲e need to work on adequate European responses to this American Inflation Reduction Act, which might jeopardize the developing field between our two continents,鈥� French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said after talks with his German counterparts.
Asked what such a response might entail, Le Maire said, 鈥淲e are not talking about tit for tat." But he told reporters that France wanted to explore 鈥渁ll the options with our European partners."
鈥淲e should seize any opportunity that we have to talk to the U.S. administration and to explain very clearly that we do not want to be hit by these (latest) decisions of the Biden administration and by the consequences of the Inflation Reduction Act,鈥� he said.
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck also expressed concern about the effects the U.S. measures could have on Europe.
鈥淲e see that companies and firms are drawn away from Europe to the U.S. because of the strong subsidies paid there,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 (enter into) a trade war in times like this.鈥�
"We are in good talks with our American partners, but this needs definitely a strong answer, a strong, strong European reply,鈥� Habeck added.
The Associated Press
