FILE PHOTO: European Commissionner Cecilia Malmstrom (not pictured) and European Commissioner Phil Hogan hold a news conference on the EU-Mexico trade agreement, in Brussels, Belgium, April 23, 2018. REUTERS/Eric Vidal

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A proposal to get exemption from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and promises of closer trade ties may not be sufficient to convince the United States government, EU trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said on Tuesday.

EU leaders agreed last week to cooperate with the United States on trade issues including market liberalization as long as Washington did not impose import tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

Asked if these proposals satisfied Washington, Malmstom said “I think they don’t think it is enough.”