EU aims for consensus in initial response to Trump's tariffs
In the coming days, European Union (EU) countries are expected to come together to take a united stance against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs. They are likely to agree on a preliminary set of targeted countermeasures affecting up to $28 billion worth of U.S. imports, which range from dental floss to diamonds.
TroibNews 
European Union countries are preparing to present a unified stance in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, with plans to approve a first wave of targeted countermeasures on up to $28 billion of U.S. imports, ranging from dental floss to diamonds.
The 27-nation bloc is contending with 25-percent import tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars, along with "reciprocal tariffs" of 20 percent on nearly all other goods starting Wednesday.
Trump's tariffs affect around 70 percent of the EU's exports to the United States, totaling 532 billion euros last year, and additional tariffs on copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and timber are likely forthcoming.
The European Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, is set to propose a list of U.S. products to target with additional duties in retaliation for Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs, rather than implementing the broader "reciprocal tariffs." This list is expected to include U.S. meat, cereals, wine, wood, and clothing, as well as chewing gum, dental floss, vacuum cleaners, and toilet paper.
Luxembourg will host the first EU-wide political meeting on Monday since Trump's announcement of the new tariffs. Ministers responsible for trade from the 27 EU member states will discuss the implications and the best course of action moving forward.
EU diplomats have indicated that the primary goal of this meeting is to present a united front, expressing a desire to negotiate with Washington over tariff removals while also preparing to respond with countermeasures if negotiations do not yield results.
"Our biggest fear after Brexit was bilateral deals and a break of unity, but through three or four years of negotiations that did not happen. Of course, here you have a different story, but everyone can see an interest in a common commercial policy," one EU diplomat stated.
Within the EU, opinions on the appropriate response vary. France has advocated for a comprehensive package that goes beyond just tariffs, with French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting that European companies should halt investments in the U.S. until "things are clarified."
In contrast, Ireland, which sends nearly a third of its exports to the U.S., has called for a "considered and measured" approach, while Italy— the EU's third-largest exporter to the U.S.— has questioned whether a retaliatory response is necessary.
"It's a difficult balance. Measures cannot be too soft to bring the United States to the table, but not too tough to lead to escalation," one EU diplomat remarked.
Negotiations with Washington so far have proven unsuccessful. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic described his two-hour discussion with U.S. counterparts last Friday as "frank," emphasizing that U.S. tariffs were "damaging and unjustified."
The initial counter-tariffs from the EU will be voted on Wednesday and are expected to pass unless there is an unlikely majority opposition from 15 EU members representing 65 percent of the bloc's population.
The tariffs will be implemented in two phases, with a portion taking effect on April 15 and the remaining measure a month later.
Additionally, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will engage in separate talks on Monday and Tuesday with executives from the steel, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries to evaluate the impact of tariffs and decide on the next steps.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
The 27-nation bloc is contending with 25-percent import tariffs on steel, aluminum, and cars, along with "reciprocal tariffs" of 20 percent on nearly all other goods starting Wednesday.
Trump's tariffs affect around 70 percent of the EU's exports to the United States, totaling 532 billion euros last year, and additional tariffs on copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and timber are likely forthcoming.
The European Commission, which oversees EU trade policy, is set to propose a list of U.S. products to target with additional duties in retaliation for Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs, rather than implementing the broader "reciprocal tariffs." This list is expected to include U.S. meat, cereals, wine, wood, and clothing, as well as chewing gum, dental floss, vacuum cleaners, and toilet paper.
Luxembourg will host the first EU-wide political meeting on Monday since Trump's announcement of the new tariffs. Ministers responsible for trade from the 27 EU member states will discuss the implications and the best course of action moving forward.
EU diplomats have indicated that the primary goal of this meeting is to present a united front, expressing a desire to negotiate with Washington over tariff removals while also preparing to respond with countermeasures if negotiations do not yield results.
"Our biggest fear after Brexit was bilateral deals and a break of unity, but through three or four years of negotiations that did not happen. Of course, here you have a different story, but everyone can see an interest in a common commercial policy," one EU diplomat stated.
Within the EU, opinions on the appropriate response vary. France has advocated for a comprehensive package that goes beyond just tariffs, with French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting that European companies should halt investments in the U.S. until "things are clarified."
In contrast, Ireland, which sends nearly a third of its exports to the U.S., has called for a "considered and measured" approach, while Italy— the EU's third-largest exporter to the U.S.— has questioned whether a retaliatory response is necessary.
"It's a difficult balance. Measures cannot be too soft to bring the United States to the table, but not too tough to lead to escalation," one EU diplomat remarked.
Negotiations with Washington so far have proven unsuccessful. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic described his two-hour discussion with U.S. counterparts last Friday as "frank," emphasizing that U.S. tariffs were "damaging and unjustified."
The initial counter-tariffs from the EU will be voted on Wednesday and are expected to pass unless there is an unlikely majority opposition from 15 EU members representing 65 percent of the bloc's population.
The tariffs will be implemented in two phases, with a portion taking effect on April 15 and the remaining measure a month later.
Additionally, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will engage in separate talks on Monday and Tuesday with executives from the steel, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries to evaluate the impact of tariffs and decide on the next steps.
Anna Muller for TROIB News
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