Bloomberg: EU plans to introduce countermeasures even if US leaves basic tariff
The European Union plans to impose mirror tariffs on American goods, including Boeing aircraft, if US President Donald Trump maintains even the basic 10% tariffs on European exports, Bloomberg reports.
"We will need to take countermeasures and restore balance in some key sectors if the US insists on a unilateral agreement," said European Commissioner for Industry Stephane Séjournais.
In particular, he stated that even if the 10% tariff were to be maintained after the conclusion of trade negotiations, this would result in retaliatory measures from the bloc.
"If we do not restore the balance, we will leave some leading sectors unprotected, so there is an economic interest in acting in this way," Sejourne emphasized.
According to the European Commission, US tariffs currently cover about 70% of European exports worth approximately 380 billion euros.
If the parties fail to reach an agreement, from July 9, almost all European goods could be subject to a 50% tariff in the US.
According to the agency's source, negotiations between the EU and the US are gaining momentum, and the European Commission is doing everything possible to reach a solution that will be beneficial to both sides.
The EU has already prepared customs measures worth 21 billion euros in response to previous US tariffs on aluminum and steel.
The list includes products from politically sensitive states, including soybeans, poultry, motorcycles, and agricultural products.
Another list of goods worth 95 billion euros is being prepared separately, covering a wider range of products, including cars.
Gunnar Gröbler, CEO of German steel giant Salzgitter, the country's second-largest steel producer, said the new US tariff policy is dealing a serious blow to European industry.
- The European Union plans to impose additional tariffs on about 100 billion euros ($113 billion) of American goods if ongoing trade talks with the United States fail, a source told Bloomberg earlier. The EU has already significantly reduced its economic growth forecast for 2025 due to Trump's tariffs.
