Germany warning: Don’t steel from us

GERMANY’S economic minister is heading to Washington with a message on tariffs: Don’t test Europe’s mettle.

Economic Minister Peter Altmaier says American tariffs on European steel and aluminum could prompt a trade war, which would be in no one’s interest.

Before leaving on his trip Sunday, Altmaier told ARD television he wanted to prevent a “spiral” of measures and countermeasures.

“I don’t want a trade war to develop between Europe and the U.S.A.,” Altmaier said.

The European Union has already published a list of American products it plans to tax if it is not exempted from the tariffs President Trump has announced.

The EU says it follows fair trade practices and the problem is with China’s overproduction.

Altmaier said Germany and the U.S. should both be able to produce steel competitively without others selling it at “dumping prices.”