EU to wield ‘every tool’ against US tariffs – trade chief

Washington’s levies affect around 70% of the bloc’s total exports, according to Commissioner Maros Sefcovic

The EU is ready to deploy “every tool” to shield its market from the impact of US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs if negotiations fail, Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic has said.

Trump announced last week that Washington would impose levies ranging from 10% to 50% on imports from countries it accuses of unfair trade practices. The EU faces a blanket 20% tariff starting Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Sefcovic said the trade relationship with the bloc’s largest partner was in a “tough spot.” He stressed that Brussels remained open to talks, but “will not wait endlessly.” 

The new tariffs will hit a “significant portion” of EU exports, Sefcovic warned, noting that around €380 billion ($410 billion) worth of goods – or about 70% of the bloc’s total exports to the US – are now facing duties of 20% or higher.

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The additional charges would exceed €80 billion, compared with the €7 billion Washington currently collects, he added.

“We are prepared to use every tool in our trade defense arsenal to protect the EU Single Market, EU producers, and EU consumers,” Sefcovic stated.

He also noted that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had offered a “zero-for-zero” tariff deal on cars and industrial goods to defuse tensions.

According to Sefcovic, the Commission has prepared a “robust list of countermeasures,” which will be voted on April 9 and formally adopted on April 15. The first wave of retaliatory duties will come into effect that day, with a second round following on May 15.

Trump has framed his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs as a move to restore balance to global trade, accusing other nations of “ripping off” the US through “harmful policies.” 

He argued that the bloc’s total levies on US goods amounted to 39% and claimed that American firms pay more than $200 billion a year in value-added taxes across Europe.

Von der Leyen called the tariffs a “major blow to the world economy.” Global stocks have tumbled since the tariff announcement, a selloff that deepened in many markets on Monday.

Trump defended the move, writing on Monday on Truth Social that the levies were delivering significant economic gains.