European Union Ministers of Commerce (EU) They said ready to develop a full range of countermeasures, including potential taxes to digital companies, in response to sweeping duties US President Donald Trump.
“While the EU remains open and prefers the negotiations, we will not wait endlessly,” EU Community Commissioner Maros Sefsovic said after conversations with his counterparts from Member States in Luxembourg on Monday (7.4.2025).
Trump’s move to impose a 20% duty on EU products as part of the “First America” agenda has caused fears of a world trade war – and has led to a collapse of financial markets. While the EU has expressed its willingness to take part in talks, officials said the Union would not hesitate to react if reconciliation efforts are failing.
Member States “want to give the US time to think about the whole situation, as the US market has lost 5 trillion in a few days, it is not a good solution for the US economy,” said Michal Baranowski, Poland’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Technology.
German Minister of Economy Robert Habek, who also executes the debt of the Vice -Chancellor, stressed earlier the need to “more closely” the EU’s anti -coercion medium, the most powerful Union’s retaliation tool. This mechanism could pave the way for levies targeted by digital giants, many of whom are based in the US.
Speaking earlier in Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Laien told reporters that the EU would set up a special import monitoring team to monitor the impact of duties. She said that her goal would be to “protect ourselves from indirect impacts by diverting trade”.
He reiterated the EU’s established line that he was willing to continue negotiations but ready to retaliate if needed. And he said the EU would seek to strengthen its trade relations with other world partners. “We will focus as a laser radius of 83% of world trade beyond the US,” he added.
The European Union will set up a special import group of imports to monitor the possible diversion of goods as a result of US duties as it is trying to continue negotiations with the Trump government. “This is an important turning point for the United States,” European Commission President Ursula von der Layen told reporters in Brussels today. “Nevertheless, we are ready to negotiate with the US.”
Von der Layen noted that the EU has previously been offered to reset duties on industrial products, including cars, if the US is doing the same, but Washington is not committed. “Because Europe is always ready for a good deal. That’s why we keep it on the table, “he added. “But we are also ready to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests.”
White House Commercial Advisor Peter Navarro said today in an interview with CNBC that the EU’s offer to reduce duties is “a good small start”, but the biggest problem is the non -tariff “deceit”, referring to the value added tax as a complaint. Von der Layen has not yet met with President Donald Trump since he took up his duties.
EU trade leader Maros Sefsovic visited Washington to meet with senior Trump government officials, but was unable to make progress for any agreement. “It is clear that the negotiations must deepen technical details” before rising to Trump’s level, she said. “This must be resolved first.” Meanwhile, von der Laien has said that the new special import monitoring team would consider historical commercial data and monitor potential increases in imports of specific products or areas to be addressed.