France's Macron wants to see US gestures on metal taxes, against vast trade deal

MADRID - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he wanted to see gestures from the United States over steel and aluminium taxes and that he opposed entering a negotiation for a comprehensive trade agreement between Europe and Washington.

"I am not in favour of launching into a negotiation of a vast trade accord like TTIP because the context doesn't allow it," Macron told a news conference in Spain.

He said he expected the United States to make gestures over what he said were illegal steel and aluminium taxes and stressed that trade talks between the two parties should not include agricultural matters.

Macron was speaking a day after US President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker struck a surprise deal to halt further trade tariffs and hold talks on opening markets. 

Reuters