Business leaders and European officials gathered in Cincinnati to discuss the future of trade relations as the Trump administration continues tariff negotiations with European counterparts.Current U.S. tariffs on European goods include a 10% general rate and 25% on cars, steel, and aluminum.Kentucky lists aerospace parts as its top export, surpassing bourbon and totaling three times the value of the second-largest export. One major contributor is Safran Landing Systems, a French aerospace company with a facility in Walton.“This is a really good place to hire people,” said Philippe Garnier, CEO and general manager of Safran Landing Systems Kentucky. “We find a lot of engineers from UC. Every year we have probably 10 to 15 co-ops working for us.”Garnier said uncertainty surrounding tariffs affects planning.“It’s pretty difficult to build a long-term strategy when one day it’s 25% in Mexico, the week after it’s zero, and then zero in Europe, and then 30 and then ten,” Garnier said.Garnier was among hundreds of attendees at the European American Chamber of Commerce Cincinnati Gala. European Union Ambassador to the United States Jovita Neliupšienė said foreign investment in Ohio remains significant.“We are probably the biggest foreign direct investor here in Ohio,” Neliupšienė said. “That means quite a number of jobs, which is more than 150,000 jobs.”Portuguese Ambassador Francisco António Duarte Lopes also attended the event. He says despite uncertainty, he is still looking for new avenues of collaboration.“We thought that Ohio would be a good place to come,” Lopes said. “We have trade and economic partnerships with this part of the U.S., and we think that there are more opportunities.”WLWT’s Megan Mitchell moderated a panel with both ambassadors and Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. The conversation focused on how the region’s industrial roots can fuel the future of clean technology, energy innovation, and advanced manufacturing.
Business leaders and European officials gathered in Cincinnati to discuss the future of trade relations as the Trump administration continues tariff negotiations with European counterparts.
Current U.S. tariffs on European goods include a 10% general rate and 25% on cars, steel, and aluminum.
Kentucky lists aerospace parts as its top export, surpassing bourbon and totaling three times the value of the second-largest export.
One major contributor is Safran Landing Systems, a French aerospace company with a facility in Walton.
“This is a really good place to hire people,” said Philippe Garnier, CEO and general manager of Safran Landing Systems Kentucky. “We find a lot of engineers from UC. Every year we have probably 10 to 15 co-ops working for us.”
Garnier said uncertainty surrounding tariffs affects planning.
“It’s pretty difficult to build a long-term strategy when one day it’s 25% in Mexico, the week after it’s zero, and then zero in Europe, and then 30 and then ten,” Garnier said.
Garnier was among hundreds of attendees at the European American Chamber of Commerce Cincinnati Gala. European Union Ambassador to the United States Jovita Neliupšienė said foreign investment in Ohio remains significant.
“We are probably the biggest foreign direct investor here in Ohio,” Neliupšienė said. “That means quite a number of jobs, which is more than 150,000 jobs.”
Portuguese Ambassador Francisco António Duarte Lopes also attended the event. He says despite uncertainty, he is still looking for new avenues of collaboration.
“We thought that Ohio would be a good place to come,” Lopes said. “We have trade and economic partnerships with this part of the U.S., and we think that there are more opportunities.”
WLWT’s Megan Mitchell moderated a panel with both ambassadors and Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval. The conversation focused on how the region’s industrial roots can fuel the future of clean technology, energy innovation, and advanced manufacturing.