The head of the European Commission said Thursday the 27-nation bloc is pausing its plan to launch counter-tariffs on €21 billion worth of U.S. goods after President Donald Trump temporarily lowered his rate of “reciprocal” tariffs to 10 per cent. (The Logic)

Talking point: “We want to give negotiations a chance,” Ursula von der Leyen said on social media as she announced the counter-tariffs would be delayed by 90 days. The EU retaliatory measures that were to start taking effect April 15 were in response to Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on all foreign steel and aluminum. Those tariffs remain in place. “If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in,” she said, adding work on additional responses will continue. The move leaves Canada and China as the only two countries with counter-tariffs in place. Von der Leyen also spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney. A readout said she is determined “to work closely with Canada on reforming the global trading system.”