BRUSSELS - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he did not think talks with the United States on an exemption from tariffs on steel and aluminum could be concluded by May.

"The United States are expecting us to conclude the negotiations, we will engage in the next coming days, until May 1, it doesn't seem to me that this date is a very realistic one given the broad issues we have to discuss with the United States," Juncker told a news conference after a meeting of the EU's 28 leaders.

"And so we will advocate a system where these exemptions in the European Union will be permanent, and not only temporary."