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The EU has announced that it will take revenge on American tariffs to European exports of steel and aluminum with “solid and proportional anti -aircraft”, because officials in Brussels rush to prevent a trade war with Washington.
“The EU will act on the protection of its economic interests. We will protect our workers, companies and consumers, “the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump announced To make 25 percent of tariffs on all steel imports and aluminums into force on March 4.
EU Member States have already approved a payment of up to 50 percent to 4.8 billion euros from US imports and could quickly be the final vote to impose them. The products would include Bourbon whiskey, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, motorcycle ships and some steel and aluminum.
Von der Leyen will meet with US Vice -President JD Vance in Paris to talk about the matter, while the Commission has convened a meeting of store ministers on Wednesday afternoon.
EU trade commissioner Maros Sefconic told the European Parliament that the block aimed at interviews. “We are still dedicated to the constructive dialogue. We stand ready for negotiations and find mutually useful solutions where possible.
“There are many roles on both sides. We want to do it, not the least because it simply makes sense.”
He added: “The EU does not see the justification for the imposition of tariffs to our exports, which is economically counterproductive. Especially given the deeply integrated production chains, established through our extensive transatlantic trade and investment connection.
“Tariffs are taxes; bad for work, [and] worse for consumers. “
The whiskey tariffs were first charged in response to the metal tariffs imposed by Trump in the first term of the president. This dispute was frozen with former President Joe Biden, but was not resolved.
They will automatically enter into force at the end of March unless most EU countries agree to it before.
Brussels could also expand his retaliation, but von der Leyen emphasized that each answer would be “proportional”.
The EU steel industry is already decreasing, and production has hit its lowest level ever in 2023. Tariffs on export of about 3.7 million tons annually will hit him hard, said Axel Eggert, the Eurofer General Director, an industrial body.
“The last tone is the most profitable tone because we have such a fixed cost,” he said.
Steel from the other side in a world -thrown out of the US market could also be exported to Europe, with an additional depressing price, he said.
