Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 10, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleGerman exporters seek fair US trade deal terms. BGA stresses stronger EU market to counter tariffs. US remains Germany's top trading partner.
By Rene Wagner and Maria Martinez
BERLIN (Reuters) -German exporters do not want a deal at any price in the trade conflict with the United States, said Dirk Jandura, head of the BGA trade lobby.
"Our interests must be reflected in an agreement with the U.S.," Jandura said on Thursday in Berlin. "We need a fair deal for the whole of Europe. It must not be concluded at any price."
The European Commission aims to reach a trade agreement outline with the U.S. in the coming days, ahead of the August 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump for broad tariff increases.
Jandura, President of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), called for a stronger European single market to improve the EU's negotiating position and to cushion the economic impact of tariffs, alongside new trade agreements or the revision of existing ones.
The U.S. was Germany's biggest trading partner in 2024 with two-way goods trade totalling 253 billion euros ($296.77 billion).
Exports to the United States dropped 7.7% in May month on month, following a 10.5% decline in April, data showed on Tuesday.
"The situation in foreign trade is dramatic and threatens to get worse," said Jandura. "The consequences of Trump's tariff policy are thus becoming ever clearer."
($1 = 0.8525 euros)
(Reporting by Rene Wagner and Maria Martinez; Editing by Ros Russell)
German exporters want their interests to be reflected in any agreement with the U.S., emphasizing the need for a fair deal for all of Europe.
Exports to the United States dropped 7.7% in May month on month, following a 10.5% decline in April, indicating a dramatic situation in foreign trade.
Dirk Jandura is the head of the BGA trade lobby and President of the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services.
The European Commission aims to reach a trade agreement outline with the U.S. ahead of the August 1 deadline set by President Donald Trump.
The U.S. was Germany's biggest trading partner in 2024, with two-way goods trade totaling 253 billion euros, highlighting the importance of this relationship.
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