Von der Leyen: EU is ready to respond to tariffs
EU "will stand together" and is ready to respond to U.S. tariffs on EU goods.
This was stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a press conference shown on the social media platform X early Thursday morning.
- We are ready to respond. We are already finalizing the first countermeasures for tariffs on steel and aluminum. We are now preparing further countermeasures to protect our interests, said the Commission president.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday evening a 20 percent tariff on imports of EU goods.
Von der Leyen stated that the new U.S. tariffs are "a major blow to the global economy."
- The consequences will be devastating for millions of people around the world. All businesses will suffer.
- I know that many of you feel betrayed by our oldest ally. We must prepare for the consequences this will inevitably have, she continued, adding, "there seems to be no order in the chaos."
She emphasized that the EU will "stand by those directly affected."
- Europe stands together—for business, for citizens, and for all Europeans. We will continue to build bridges with those who, like us, believe in fair and rule-based trade as the foundation for prosperity.
Von der Leyen agreed with Trump that some "unfairly exploit the current rules."
- I am ready to support any effort to make the global trading system fit for the reality of the global economy. But I will also make it clear that reaching for tariffs as the first and last tool does not solve the problem.
- That’s why we have always been ready to negotiate with the U.S. to remove barriers to transatlantic trade from the very beginning, said the Commission president.
EU President Antonio Costa expressed full support for the EU Commission’s negotiations with the U.S. in a post on X Thursday morning.
He added that the EU will continue to strengthen and expand its trade network.
- It’s time to ratify agreements with Mercosur and Mexico and make decisive progress in negotiations with India and other key partners, he wrote.
EU-forhandlere og de fire sydamerikanske Mercosur-lande nåede i december frem til en handelsaftale efter mange års forhandlinger.
Before the agreement can come into effect, it must be adopted by the EU’s member states and the European Parliament.
Trump announced that the tariffs on EU goods will come into effect on April 9. A base tariff of 10 percent on all other countries, except for Russia, will take effect on April 5.
Russia is excluded because the U.S. "does not trade with Russia," U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said to Fox News.
