German firms are big employers in US, White House meeting not about trade, says Merkel

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that a meeting of German carmakers and the U.S. administration planned for Tuesday would not be about trade as the European Union is responsible for negotiating that on behalf of Germany.

"This is not about any trade issues - rather these trade issues are unanimously decided on by the European Commission for all member states," Merkel told a news conference in Berlin.

"But the German carmakers or the German firms are big employers in the United States of America so there is definitely reason to talk to the U.S. administration about issues like what investments and what future the German carmakers see as American employers," she added.