Trade conflict between U.S. and China impacting euro zone growth: Altmaier

BERLIN (Reuters) - The trade dispute between the United States and China is having an impact on global and therefore euro zone growth, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference to present the government's downwardly revised growth forecasts, Altmaier said that Berlin and its European allies wanted to safeguard the rules-based free trade order by reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Altmaier also said that a lack of skilled workers was putting the brakes on German economic expansion.

(Reporting by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Michelle Martin)