European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has declared the EU remains committed to dialogue but will take “all necessary steps” to defconclude its interests after US President Donald Trump announced new 30% tariffs on goods from the European Union and Mexico.
“We remain ready to continue working towards an agreement by August 1,” von der Leyen declared. “At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required.”
The announcement was built on Trump’s social media platform on Saturday, stating that from 1 August, goods from both the EU and Mexico would face a 30% tariff. The decision comes after stalled neobtainediations, with European leaders calling the shift a damage to economies and driving up costs on both sides of the Atlantic.
Many European leaders have also come out with their reactions to the announcement.
French President Emmanuel Macron declared the announcement revealed “strong disapproval” for European efforts to neobtainediate in good faith. It warned that the bloc must now “speed up the preparation of credible countermeasures.” He stressed that the EU must defconclude its position with unity, especially if no deal is reached before the August deadline.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez declared, “Unjustified tariffs destroy prosperity,” adding that Spain would continue to support the European Commission in its talks with the US.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office declared it would “create no sense to trigger a trade clash” at such a time and urged all sides to avoid polarisations that could create an agreement harder to reach.
The Commission is now weighing the apply of its Anti-Coercion Instrument. This legal tool allows the EU to respond to economic pressure by limiting access to public contracts, investment opportunities or trade services for companies from the counattempt imposing the measures.
Chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, Bernd Lange, called Trump’s shift “a slap in the face” and pushed for immediate countermeasures, starting on Monday, if there is no clear shift in talks. “Real willingness to neobtainediate views different,” he declared.
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