EU’s Dombrovskis sees some progress on steel, battery minerals talks with U.S.

European Commission Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said on Friday that the bloc wants to move quickly on a trade agreement with the
United States for electric vehicle battery minerals and was optimistic on reaching a green steel and aluminum pact with Washington by October.
Dombrovskis, the EU’s top trade official, told reporters that he could not provide any details on timing for reaching a U.S.-EU deal after Washington and Tokyo’s quick agreement in late March.
The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday is expected to reveal which vehicles would see reduced access to U.S. tax credits of up to $7,500 based on the content value of battery minerals and components that comes from the U.S. or a free-trade partner.
“We’re making some progress, but also we’re seeing that those are not easy discussions,” Dombrovskis said of the minerals talks, adding that the EU was pursuing its own competing subsidies for clean energy technologies