THE European Union’s top trade negotiator Maros Sefcovic met with his US counterpart Jamieson Greer in Paris today to negotiate a settlement to the escalating tariff dispute.

The pair met on the sidelines of a gathering of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

“We’re advancing in the right direction at pace,” Mr Sefcovic said at a press conference, saying that ongoing technical meetings in Washington would soon be followed by a video call between himself and Mr Greer to “assess the progress and charter the way forward.”

Brussels and Washington said that progress has been made but there were no breakthroughs during the meeting.

The meeting came as US President Donald Trump’s tariff hike on steel and aluminium imports came into effect today, raising duties from 25 to 50 per cent.

Mr Trump claims that the move will support the struggling US metals industry.

The order applies to all trading partners except Britain, which reached a provisional deal during a 90-day pause.

The hike is expected to hit Canada and Mexico particularly hard.

Canada exports more aluminium to the US than the next 10 countries combined.

Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard called the move “irrational” and said Mexico would seek an exemption.