Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) stated on Thursday in the Chamber that lessons must be learned from the trade tariff debacle.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has postponed countermeasures against US trade tariffs by 90 days, causing stock markets to rise again on Thursday.
After questions from Charlotte Verkeyn (N-VA), Koen Van den Heuvel (CD&V), Xavier Dubois (Les Engagés), and Nabil Boukili (PVDA-PTB), De Wever assured full support for the European delay.
"This situation makes any long-term impact analysis impossible," he said. "We must monitor developments day by day, and even hour by hour."
The Prime Minister is pleased that calm measures are being taken and that there is now room for negotiations with the US.
"I think it’s good that we did not succumb to the rhetoric of some factions here," he stated. "We still need to try to stop a senseless trade war with no winners, as soon as possible."
The US-EU negotiation openings make him cautiously optimistic, but with few certainties.
"We must indeed learn from this debacle," De Wever declared. "And that means reinforcing our own market as thoroughly as possible and opening up to all opportunities for free trade with the rest of the world, which is observing us."
