Germany’s Merz urges new trade partners amid U.S. tariff concerns

Published 24/08/2025, 18:56
Germany’s Merz urges new trade partners amid U.S. tariff concerns

Investing.com -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested on Sunday that Germany should seek new trading partners globally as the United States imposes 15% tariffs on European Union goods.

Speaking at a government Open Day event in Berlin, Merz questioned how to navigate world trade when "the Americans are no longer prepared to play by the rules of the World Trade Organisation."

While acknowledging that Germany needs to maintain "good economic relations with the U.S.," the Chancellor noted that Germany "may have got off lightly" with the current tariff situation.

Merz pointed to potential trade opportunities in South America, Asia, and Africa, emphasizing that these relationships should be "of mutual benefit" to all parties involved.

"We should search for partners in the world that share our thinking," Merz said, adding that Germany "must consistently go down that road" of diversifying its trade relationships.

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