EU ‘strongly regrets’ Trump’s steel tariff increase, threatens countermeasures
Bloc says Trump’s decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy, and increases costs for consumers and businesses
The European Union on Saturday spoke out against US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff announcement regarding steel imports – and threatened a response before the summer.
“We strongly regret the announced increase of US tariffs on steel imports from 25 per cent to 50 per cent,” said a spokesman for the European Commission in Brussels, which is responsible for EU trade policy.
“This decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.”
The EU was ready to take countermeasures, the statement continued. This could also happen earlier than July 14.
As things currently stand, EU counter-tariffs already planned due to Trump’s initial tariff decisions would automatically come into force on this date.
The bloc had wanted the measures to come into force on April 14, but held back after Trump granted many countries and the EU a 90-day pause from certain tariffs.