United States and European officials signaled progress in tariff talks Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump announced a pact with Japan and China said its vice premier would attend bilateral negotiations next week.

The European Union plans to quickly hit the US with 30% tariffs on some €100 billion ($117 billion) worth of goods in the event of no deal and if US President Donald Trump carries through with his threat to impose that rate on most of the bloc’s exports after Aug.

As the Aug. 1 deadline for tariff agreements approach, lawyers and political consultants caution that trade fights are likely ahead.

U.S. automakers worry that President Donald Trump’s agreement to tariff Japanese vehicles at 15% would put them at a competitive disadvantage.

Mexico did not face a new tariff on April 2, the day of Trump's so-called "Liberation Day" tariff rollout. There remains a 25% tariff on non-USMCA-compliant goods from Canada and Mexico, as well as a 50% tariff on steel, aluminum and derivative products.

President Donald Trump posted letters to the leaders of Mexico and the European Union, saying they had not done enough to head off the new tariffs.

April 9: Trump's higher "reciprocal tariffs" begin just after midnight. Hours later, the president says he is issuing a 90-day pause on those duties, except for China. Trump raises tariffs on Chinese goods from 104% to 145%, the highest rate so far this year.