A top European Union official, who is trying to head off a potential trade conflict, stressed the importance of active engagement and fairness in trade during a four-hour meeting with Trump administration officials on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump has complained that "the EU has been very unfair to us" as he announced new 25% tariffs on auto imports, pharmaceuticals and chips. The US president has long railed against what he calls the unfair treatment of US automotive exports in foreign markets.

Donald Trump’s tariffs are a headache for all his trade partners. But the U.S. president’s plan to impose ad hoc “reciprocal” levies on imports are a particular problem for the European Union. By enabling him to target whichever countries in the bloc he pleases,