Pakistan, July 28 -- Brussels defended a controversial new trade deal with the United States, calling it the best way to avoid a damaging tariff war. On Monday, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said the agreement was struck under tough conditions. "I'm 100 percent sure this deal is better than a trade war with the United States," he told reporters.

The deal, finalized by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump, sets a 15% tariff on EU exports. However, US exports to Europe will face no new tariffs. This move prevented Trump from imposing harsher levies of up to 30% if no agreement had been reached by August 1. While the EU sees it as a compromise, others view it as a retreat.

Several European leaders and industri...