Both the government and the BoG and financial analysts have stressed that the impact of Trump duties in the EU will be more indirect and less direct.
This is because only 4% of Greek exports (in value) are directed to the US. However, almost 60% of Greek exports are directed to the EU, which sends about 20% of exports to the US.
As a result, after the EU will be immediately affected by US duties, Greece’s exports to the EU will also be affected.
The above provision is not outdated, after the 3 -month suspension of duties that Trump announced to the EU, along with of course Greece.
And this for two main reasons:
- Since April 9 2025 A 10% duty applies to US imports from the EU, along with Greece. Therefore, there will be a direct and indirect impact, although they will be less than the original rate announced by Trump for the EU (and Greece), that is 20%. Also, Trump’s three -month suspension perpetuates the uncertainty into the world market, that is, something that – as they say – can be a worse factor for the economy than a negative development provided that it is certain.
- Trump may have lowered the tariff bar at the expense of the EU, but raised him to an astronomical level against China. According to the landscape which had been formed by Friday (12.4.25), The US has imposed 145% duties on China, while China has imposed 125% duties on the US.
Greek trade circles answer 6 critical questions about how Greece affects the world tariff war -starring the US and China:
1. What do 125% – 145% duties mean between two countries, notably these are the two economic superpowers on the planet?
These are not just commercial ‘duties’ but – in essence – for ‘Embargo’ That is, a US trade blockade against China and China against the US.
As such customs duties leads to doubling the price of imports in each country, which makes in practice prohibitive, financially, the introduction of both the other and the other side.
This is how the trading between the top economy of the Western hemisphere of Earth with the leading economy of the eastern hemisphere are driving to freeze!
2. Can the duties of duties be bent over the “sideway”?
It may even be bent through the introduction of an intermediate stage between the US – China and China – Russia.
The first moves have already become knowledgeable, with the most important being that of the transfer of Appple’s iPhones from China, where the factory of the US technology giant in India and from there to the US is located.
So the cost of importing iPhones in the US from China is growing by 10% only -that is, as much as Apple has to pay to import iPhones from India, as nothing has changed in the US duty duties.
How will US companies exporting products from China cover the increased costs? Dividing it in other markets, including, of course, in Greece, leading to price increases in their products.
3. What about the imports of products in the US by Chinese companies?
If, in the case of Apple or other products produced in China but by US -based companies, the US can accept the “lateral way” of importing their products (that is, their entry into the US through a third “neutral” country), it is not at all given that the US will accept such a solution to China products.
That is, it is not at all … certain that the United States would accept the products of Chinese companies produced in China through a “third” country in order to avoid the duty of 145%.
Europe’s ports could be points of transport of China production and ownership products, not least that Chinese Cosco controls seven of them, including Piraeus.
So Chinese ships could -theoretically -be transported by Chinese ships until Piraeus and then transported by Greek ships to the US, paying importers there only 10% and not … 145%.
This would have obvious benefits for Greek shipping. However, the increase in total transport costs to the detriment of China’s export companies would possibly pass on prices and products exporting outside the US, which would also affect Chinese import prices from China.
4. How profitable is Chinese products from China to US through “third” countries?
The above outlet on the US duties imposed on China could be reality not only on the condition that the US government would do so, but also on the condition that the shipping fee would not ultimately impose even any tanker tankers.
This may be imposed shortly after the middle of this month and will obviously make trade more expensive by sea, not only from China to the US, but from every country to the US.
And this is because a very large part of the Greek commercial fleet has been built in China, while an even larger one has been ordered again in China.
This means that even if Trump allows the transfer of Chinese products from China to the US via Piraeus and through Greek shipping companies, Greek shipping companies will undergo a special American “duty” through that shipping end.
5. Is Greece’s problem with the US -China tariff war?
In addition to commercial there are other impacts in Greece related to the tariff Total War between the US and China. And they have to do with the dollar – euro exchange rate, which has been burdened at the expense of the dollar.
This brings two negative developments:
- It makes more expensive (and thus more two -year -old) holidays in Greece for Americans, who in recent years have been contributing to a greater part of the Greek tourist “Pitta”.
- The expensive dollar has begun to create conditions for delays in shipping companies to suppliers, as shipping is paid on dollar but pay in euro and therefore with this exchange rate will be lost by paying in euro.
At the same time, ores such as copper, which Greece imports from China, have seen their honor collapse after April 2, 2025, with the result that the Chinese allegedly avoid locking its export agreements to Greece, waiting to increase its international price again and thus maximizing their profit. But this creates a malfunction in the production of Greek businesses …