EU ‘preparing further countermeasures’ to protect its interest, von der Leyen says
The EU is “making ready additional countermeasures” to guard its curiosity, Ursula von der Leyen mentioned after after Donald Trump introduced a 20% levies on European items, urging the US to “transfer from confrontation to negotiation”.
“President Trump’s announcement of common tariffs on the entire world, together with the EU, is a serious blow to the world financial system. I deeply remorse this alternative,” the Fee president mentioned on Thursday from Samarkand, Uzbebistan, the place she’s going to attend the first-ever EU-Central Asia summit.
The US President on Wednesday imposed a minimal 10% tariff on all international locations, with the EU placed on a listing of 60 “worst offenders” and slapped with the next tailor-made fee of 20%. The levies are scheduled to come back into drive subsequent Wednesday.
Tariffs on vehicles made exterior the US of 25% had been additionally introduced with fast impact.
Sweden and Eire have already mentioned in statements that they “remorse” the extra tariffs.
“We don’t need rising commerce limitations. We don’t desire a commerce struggle. That may make our populations poorer and the world extra harmful in the long term,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson mentioned.
“However – Sweden and the Swedish Authorities are nicely ready for what’s occurring now. We stand on stable financial floor, with world-class public funds,” he added.
Eire’s Tanaiste, Simon Harris, mentioned in an announcement that the bloc “should stay calm and measured in our response”, including that “the EU and Eire stand able to discover a negotiated resolution with the US”.
“Along with my authorities colleagues, my officers and the EU we might be reviewing the state of affairs and one of the best ways to reply within the coming hours and days. The EU must reply in a proportionate method which protects our residents, our employees and our companies,” he added.
The bloc, von der Leyen mentioned earlier this week in an tackle to the European Parliament, holds plenty of playing cards: from commerce to know-how to the scale of our market” and would “method these negotiations from a place of power”.
The EU recorded a surplus of products with the US €156.6 billion in 2023 however a deficit of companies price €108.6 billion.
Brussels already has two lists of US merchandise that might be hit with tariffs, EU officers beforehand mentioned, together with one which incorporates items which have been topic to suspended tariffs since 2018. Additional measures could also be mandatory, the officers mentioned, that would doubtlessly goal companies.
