The European Union retaliates after the U.S. metals tariffs take hold : NPR

Brussels – the European Union on Wednesday a

nnounced the Retaliatory Trade Action with a number of duties on the production and agricultural products of the United States, which will come into force on April 1, responding to an increase in tariffs for Trump administration on all imports of steel and aluminum up to 25%.

The world’s largest trading block has been waiting for US tariffs and prepared in advance, but measures are still highly strained on the already intense transatlantic relations. Last month, Washington warned Europe that she would have to take care of her own security in the future.

EU measures will cover US goods worth about 26 billion euros (28 billion dollars), not just the aluminum products, but also textiles, home equipment and agricultural goods. Motorcycles, bourbons, peanuts and jeans will be hit, as in the first term of President Donald Trump.

Britain, which is not included in the EU, has stated that it would not introduce its own measures to the United States. The UK government called Washington’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Global Steel and Aluminium Imports “disappointing”.

The EU is moving to defend the President of the Commission on Sub -European Ursula von der Leyen in a statement announced on Wednesday that the block “will always remain open to negotiations.”

“As the US is using $ 28 billion tariffs, we respond to a counter -26 billion euro,” she said. The commission manages trade and commercial conflicts on behalf of 27 EU member states.

“We firmly believe that in the world, rich in geopolitical and economic uncertainty, it is not in our common interest to burden our economies,” said von der Leyen.

The commission also stated that steel and aluminum products would be hit in return, but also textiles, leather products, home appliances, home tools, plastic and wood. There will also be exposure to agricultural products – including bird, beef, seafood, nuts, eggs, sugar and vegetables.

Trump said his taxes would help create jobs in us, but background der Leyen said: “The jobs are put on the map. Prices will rise. In Europe and the USA.”

“We are deeply sorry for this measure. Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers. These tariffs violate supply chains. They bring uncertainty for the economy,” she said.

What really happens? Trump struck similar tariffs for the EU and aluminum during his first term, which has angry European and other allies. At the time, the EU also introduced the stop by raising tariffs for American motorcycles, bourbons, peanut butter and jeans, among other subjects.

This time the EU will include two stages. For the first time, the commission will again introduce what it calls the “balance measures” that have had the EU since 2018 and 2020, but which were rejected by Baden’s administration, and then additional duties aimed at 18 billion euros ($ 19.6 billion) to the US.

EU Commissioner for Trade Marts Schefchovich went to Washington last month, trying to abandon the tariffs, meeting with US Secretary of State Howard Lutnik and other top officials.

On Wednesday, he said that it became clear on this trip that “the EU is not a problem.”

“I claimed to avoid unnecessary loads and countermeasures, but you need a partner. You need both hands to clap your hands,” Shafievich told reporters in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

According to Henryk Adam, the President of the European Association of the European EUROFER European Association European Association European Association European Association European Association European Association Eurofer European Association EURAFER European Association The Eurofer European Association of the European EUROFER European Association Associations can lose up to 3.7 million tonnes of steel exports.

“This will further aggravate the situation with the European metallurgical industry, worsening the already terrible market environment,” Adam said last month.

The United States is the second largest export market for manufacturers, which is 16% of total EU steel exports.

“The loss of a large part of this exports cannot be offset by the EU export to other markets,” Adam said.

TRANSATLANTIC TRADETHE EU estimates that the annual trade between both parties is about $ 1.5 trillion, which is about 30% of world trade. While the block has a significant proportion surplus, it states that it is partially offset by the US surplus.

The commission claims that in 2023 the trade in goods reached 851 billion euros (878 billion dollars), and for excess trade of 156 billion euros (161 billion dollars) per EU. Services trade cost 688 billion euros ($ 710 billion) with a trade shortages of 104 billion euros (107 billion dollars) per EU.

Meanwhile, British Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said Wednesday “will continue to interact closely and productively with the US to press the business interest in the UK.” He did not rule out future tariffs for imports in the US, saying that “we will keep all the options on the table and are not ashamed to respond to national interests.”

Central Prime Minister Kire St. Starmer worked on the creation of strong ties with Trump, hoping to avoid tariffs levied by many other US trading partners.

Reynolds said the government remains “focused on the pragmatic approach and is rapidly negotiating with a broader economic agreement with the United States to eliminate additional tariffs and business benefits in the UK and our economy.”