EU Prepares Countermeasures If US Imposes Tariffs

The European Union (EU) is planning to impose countermeasures on American imports, including aircraft from Boeing, if President Donald Trump enforces fundamental tariffs on EU products. EU officials expect that the US will maintain certain tariffs even after trade negotiations conclude. So far, the European Commission, which handles trade matters for the EU, has not declared whether this would trigger countermeasures from the bloc. ‘We will need to take countermeasures and restore balances in certain key areas if the US insists on an asymmetrical agreement,’ stated EU industry chief Stefan Sejourne to Bloomberg News, especially if ‘the result of negotiations is a 10% tariff remains.’ The EU is rushing to reach an agreement with Washington before tariffs on nearly all its exports to the US rise to 50% on July 9. Trump has criticized the EU, which he claims was created to ‘take advantage’ of the US, over its trade surplus and perceived barriers to American trade. The EU estimates that US tariffs now cover 380 billion euros ($439 billion), about 70% of its exports to the US. Negotiations have accelerated as the Commission strives for a mutually beneficial solution. However, any decision on countermeasures must be coordinated and agreed upon with member states. Among the American demands are measures concerning fish export quotas, potentially incompatible with World Trade Organization rules, non-reciprocal tariff moves, and several economic security requirements described by EU officials as unreasonable.