BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday welcomed US President Donald Trump's announcement of a pause in reciprocal tariffs.

"Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function," she said in a statement on X.

She added that tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers. "That's why I've consistently advocated for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the European Union and the United States," she said.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, editing by GV De Clercq)