VDL: EU will respond firmly if Trump imposes tariffs
When targeted, unfairly or arbitrarily, the European Union will respond firmly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a comment on US President Donald Trump’s statement that he would impose tariffs on the EU.
The BBC reported that over the weekend, Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico – which have both since been paused – and said he would take similar action against the EU but suggested a deal could be “worked out” with the UK.
Von der Leyen, speaking after a February 3 informal meeting of EU leaders, said: “And against the backdrop in which there is a lot at stake, we discussed ways to strengthen a very pragmatic cooperation with the United States.
“There are clearly new challenges and growing uncertainties, so the European Union is prepared for a robust but constructive dialogue with the United States,” Von der Leyen said.
“But we also recognise potential challenges in the relationship with the United States, and we are ready for that,” she said.
Von der Leyen said that this weekend, it had been seen how steep tariffs were imposed on Canada and Mexico, “those tariffs raise business costs, they harm workers and consumers, they create unnecessary economic disruption and drive inflation. We do not see much good coming out of this”.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, speaking ahead of the February 3 meeting, said in a response to a question about the tariffs: “We were listening carefully to those words and of course we are preparing also on our side.
“But what is clear is that there are no winners in trade wars,” Kallas said.
If the United States starts the trade war, “then the one laughing on the side is China”..
“We are very interlinked. We need America and America needs us as well. The tariffs increased costs. They are not good for the jobs, not good for the customers either. That is clear,” she said.
(Photo via Von der Leyen’s page on X)
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