US President Donald Trump plans to take imports from the EU with an inch of 30 percent from August 1st. The EU promptly rules.
This was announced by the Republican on his Truth Social platform. In the published letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump threatened to increase further customs increases in the event of countermeasures. Mexico also received a customs letter.
Customs in detail
The new dials of 30 percent therefore apply to all goods that the EU wants to introduce in the United States. This does not apply to certain industries in which Trump demands even higher serves. So far, other sentences have been true for car and auto parts as well as steel and aluminum.
Escalation despite ongoing negotiations
The letter threatens a further escalation of the trade conflict. The European Union and the United States had recently tried to find a mutual solution in weeks of discussions. The one -sided imposition of new tariffs now faces this.
EU wants to find a further solution – but is ready for countermeasures
Even after the announcement of Trump’s latest customs ideas, the EU Commission continued to be faced with a mutually acceptable solution: Trump’s writing is noted, said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It was still ready to work on an agreement by August 1st.
The introduction of tariffs of 30 percent to EU exports would disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains – to the disadvantage of companies, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic, added the German politician.
The Leyen emphasized that only a few economies worldwide would be open to fair trade practices in their openness and obligation at the same level with the European Union. The EU has always sought a negotiating solution with the USA
At the same time, from the Leyen again pointed out that the EU will take countermeasures in the event of a lack of willingness to negotiate on the US side. In a first step, this should be particularly special tariffs on imports of US products into the EU.
Trump formulates unclear demand
In his letter, Trump also wrote: “The European Union will grant the United States unreservedly, duty -free market access without imposing tariffs against us to try to reduce the big trade deficit.” What exactly the US President means was initially unclear.
The United States is the most important trading partner for Germany. With his customs policy, the Republican wants to correct alleged trade weights and achieve that more is produced in the United States. In the worldwide customs conflict, Trump initially set a deadline of July 9 for new tariffs and extended them to August 1st days ago. In the past few weeks, the United States had spoken to many countries.
Many customs letters sent
In addition to the letter to the EU, Trump published a letter to Mexico. In this, he also announced an import exposure of 30 percent on goods from neighboring country from August 1st. He had already made a number of new tariffs known against certain countries in the past few days, most recently for imports from Canada and Brazil.
In the middle of the week, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen carefully expressed the prospect of setting up the customs conflict. At the same time, she had made it clear that the EU was also prepared for the option of a further escalation to the trade dispute and that she prefers not to have a deal rather than a bad one.
Trump was asked by a journalist on Monday whether he was optimistic to achieve a possible deal with the European Union. He had replied that one was probably removed from an agreement for two days.
EU Council President criticizes the customs announcement of Trump
EU Council President António Costa sharply criticized US President Donald Trump’s new customs announcements. “Customs are taxes. They heat up inflation, create uncertainty and inhibit economic growth,” the Portuguese commented on social networks. It is the free and fair trade that promotes prosperity, creates jobs and strength chains. The EU is united and is ready to protect its interests, added Costa. The EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU Commission supported them with a fair agreement with the United States.
Trump justifies his customs policy with the trade deficit that the United States has with the EU. However, the EU assumes that it is also concerned with additional income to finance extensive tax cuts.
USA: New base customs does not apply to cars and steel
US President Donald Trump’s 30 percent customs for EU imports do not affect certain industries according to government information-including cars and steel. When asked whether imports to certain product groups such as cars, steel and aluminum are excluded, the White House announced at the request of the German Press Agency: “Correct, sectoral tariffs are treated separately and not cumulative.” So far, the United States has shown imported EU cars and auto parts with a duty of 25 percent, and 50 percent for steel and aluminum imports.
After Trump letter: EP chief chief long for the end of patience
The German chairman of the European Parliament (EP) trade committee has described Donald Trump’s customs letter to the EU as “insolence” and demanded determined countermeasures. “We have been negotiating intensively for more than three weeks and made offers to promote common interests,” said Bernd Lange (SPD).
Against this background, it was brazen and disrespectful that the US President now increased the tariffs announced on April 2 on European goods from 20 to 30 percent. “This is a slap in the face for the negotiations. Real willingness to negotiate looks different.”
As a consequence, it was long advised to immediately put the first special tariffs on the import of US products into the EU. You should no longer wait, but use the economic strength of the EU to make it clear that Trump’s unfair trade practices are unacceptable, he said. The use of the EU instrument against coercive measures must also be considered seriously. This could be excluded from public orders in the EU.
As points in which the EU Trump had accommodated in the negotiations last week, long gave the recognition of standards and certification processes as well as the development of investment opportunities. He also pointed out that the EU, as a sign of trust, initially suspended all compensation measures regarding the unjustified tariffs that have already been raised.
Reiche penetrates the pragmatic solution in the trade dispute with the USA
Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche called up the EU Commission on pragmatic and rapid negotiations with the United States in the current trade conflict. “During the remaining time for the EU, it is now about pragmatically negotiating a solution with the United States that focuses on the essential major conflict points,” said Reiche in Berlin. The Commission has the support of the federal government for this approach.
The background is impending US special tariffs on European products. According to Reich, these would not only hit the exporting companies hard in Europe, but also have noticeable economic consequences for the economy and consumers on the other side of the Atlantic. “A pragmatic negotiation result must be achieved quickly,” emphasized the minister.
Macron insists on countermeasures after Trump’s customs announcement
According to the new customs announcements by US President Donald Trump, France’s President Emmanuel Macron asked for the accelerated preparation of European countermeasures. To do this, the EU Commission must mobilize all the instruments available to it, including the mechanism to combat compulsory measures, if no agreement is reached by August 1st, Macron said via short message service X.
“In European unity, it is more than ever the task of the Commission to reaffirm the Union’s determination of determining the European interests,” said the President. On this basis, France supports the EU Commission in the negotiations in order to achieve an agreement that is acceptable to both sides by August 1, which reflected the respect, which trading partners such as the EU and the USA elevated with its common interests and integrated value chains.
Washington (dpa-Afx)