*

European corporate spending could help re-industrialise US

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Trump backtracked on threat of 50% tariffs following call

with

Commission president

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Some German companies are losing interest in US

investment,

survey finds

(Updates with BusinessEurope confirming request, paragraph 6)

By Victoria Waldersee and Christina Amann

BERLIN, May 27 (Reuters) - European Union policymakers

have asked the EU's leading companies and CEOs to swiftly

provide detail of their U.S. investment plans, according to two

sources familiar with the matter, as Brussels prepares for trade

talks with Washington.

Members of the Confederation of European Business, also

known as BusinessEurope, an alliance of 42 federations across

the region, received a survey from the European Commission on

Monday. It requested information on upcoming U.S. investments

with an instruction to respond as soon as possible, one source

said.

A similar note seeking information on investment plans for

the next five years was sent to the 59-person European

Roundtable for Industry, a second source said, with a note that

the request came personally from European Commission President

Ursula von der Leyen.

The roundtable's members include the CEOs of companies

ranging from chip equipment maker ASML to chemicals

group BASF to software company SAP, as well

as automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

BusinessEurope's members include employer and industry

associations representing an equally wide range of companies,

notably Germany's auto sector, as well as the aerospace and

pharmaceutical industries.

BusinessEurope confirmed it had been contacted to assist

with collecting the most recent data on European investment in

the U.S. to demonstrate the importance of EU-U.S. economic ties.

The European Roundtable for Industry did not immediately

respond to a request for comment, while the Commission declined

to comment.

The sources asked not to be named because they were not

authorised to speak publicly on the issue.

UNCERTAINTY SAPS INVESTOR APPETITE

The Commission, which oversees trade policy for the

27-nation European Union, is stepping up efforts to secure a

deal with the United States to end U.S. import tariffs on EU

goods, or at least prevent any increases.

The Commission is trying to establish what might satisfy

U.S. President Donald Trump, having offered a deal in which both

sides move to zero tariffs on industrial goods, and the EU buys

more soybeans, arms and liquefied natural gas.

Trump has made clear a chief goal of his tariffs is to

re-industrialise the United States, towards which European

corporate investment could contribute.

Some of the biggest investment announcements from Europe so

far have come from the pharmaceutical sector, with Swiss pharma

companies Roche and Novartis pledging $50 billion and

$23 billion respectively. France's Sanofi has said it

wants to invest at least $20 billion through 2030.

However, further plans are under threat by Trump's executive

order on drug pricing, Roche flagged earlier in May.

At least seven other European companies have said they would

increase investments in the U.S., but gave no specific details

on spending plans, a Reuters review of releases and executive

comments on earnings conference calls over the last two months

shows.

A survey by Germany's Chamber of Commerce and Industry this

month found that 24% of companies planned higher investments in

the U.S. in the coming year, but 29% were reducing their

investments.

An industry association source speaking on condition of

anonymity said the uncertainty caused by Trump's volatile policy

announcements had reduced interest in U.S. investment.

Italian tyre maker Pirelli said it had to suspend

its plans to invest further in the U.S. as it needed to ease

tensions with Chinese state-owned group Sinochem,

one of its major shareholders.