The European Union’s executive branch has pledged to respond firmly and promptly to President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on steel and aluminum. The European Commission criticized Trump’s trade policy as moving in the wrong direction and asserted its commitment to defending European businesses, workers, and consumers from unjustified tariff actions. Emphasizing that the EU maintains low tariffs globally, the Commission argued against increased U.S. tariffs on its exports, labeling tariffs as detrimental taxes that burden American citizens, hinder business growth, and contribute to economic uncertainty.

In the face of Trump’s tariff imposition, the Commission stated that the EU would take decisive action against any barriers to free and fair trade. The EU’s previous countermeasures to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum included raising tariffs on American-made goods such as motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter, and jeans. With the EU and the U.S. engaging in substantial trade, amounting to $1.5 trillion annually, the EU highlighted the trade imbalances in goods and services between the two sides. Despite the trade surplus in goods, the EU runs a trade deficit in services with the U.S., illustrating the complex dynamics of their trade relationship.

As the EU prepares to address the latest round of tariffs, the ongoing trade tensions between the EU and the U.S. underscore the importance of maintaining open and fair trade practices for both economies.