France's finance minister Eric Lombard on Sunday called for the extension of European Union-United States trade negotiations beyond the 9 July deadline, saying a better deal is preferable to a rushed agreement. Speaking to La Tribune Dimanche, according to Reuters, Lombard said, "I would rather have a good deal than a bad deal on July 9," adding that he believes a deal with the US is still within reach. His remarks come amid concerns that failure to meet the US-imposed deadline could result in increased tariffs on European goods, including cars and pharmaceuticals. While progress in the talks remains unclear, sources told Reuters that EU officials are preparing for a 10 per cent reciprocal tariff introduced by the US in April to serve as a baseline for any final agreement. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that countries negotiating in good faith could receive deadline extensions. French President Emmanuel Macron, following an EU summit last week, reiterated France's desire for a swift and pragmatic agreement but said Paris would not accept unbalanced terms. Meanwhile, the European Commission has yet to disclose details of the latest US proposal discussed during the summit. Lombard also suggested that energy could be included in the trade package, with Europe potentially raising imports of US gas to reduce reliance on Russian supplies. Attribution: Reuters Subediting: Y.Yasser
