The European Union should have unlimited tariff exemptions in steel and aluminum products from the US government, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday when meeting the media with Premier Li Keqiang.

"We wish to continue to enjoy the exemptions without any actions and are willing to continue consultations with the US government. The European Commission is also continuing with negotiations and we will wait for the outcome," she said.

Merkel was answering a question raised by China Daily on how the European Union and Germany will respond when US tariff exemptions for European steel and aluminum products expires next month.