The EU will put tariff retaliation on hold for 90 days to match Trump's
pause
[April 10, 2025] BRUSSELS
(AP) — The European Union’s executive commission said Thursday it will
put its retaliation measures against new U.S. tariffs on hold for 90
days to match President Donald Trump’s pause on his sweeping new tariffs
and leave room for a negotiated solution.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the
commission, which handles trade for the 27 member countries, “took note
of the announcement by President Trump.”
New tariffs on 20.9 billion euros ($23 billion) of US goods will be put
on hold for 90 days because “we want to give negotiations a chance,” she
said in a statement.
But she warned: “If negotiations are not satisfactory, our
countermeasures will kick in.”
Trump imposed a 20% levy on goods from the EU as part of his onslaught
of tariffs against global trading partners but has said he will pause
them for 90 days to give countries a chance to negotiate solutions to
U.S. trade concerns.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
BRUSSELS (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on
Thursday welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily halt
most U.S. tariffs, but she did not say whether the European Union
intends to press ahead with its own retaliatory measures.
“I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE,” Trump said, after recognizing the
more than 75 countries that he said have been negotiating on trade and
had not retaliated against his latest increases in tariffs. Countries
subject to the pause will now be tariffed at 10%. The EU's rate was 20%,
but it was not entirely clear how the 27-nation bloc would be impacted.
China was not included. Trump further jacked up the tax rate on Chinese
imports to 125%.
Von der Leyen described the halt on reciprocal tariffs as “an important
step towards stabilizing the global economy. Clear, predictable
conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function.”
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The NYK Meteor container ship is moored at the Port of Los Angeles,
Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian
Dovarganes)
 Before Trump’s announcement on
Wednesday, EU member countries voted to approve retaliatory tariffs
on $23 billion in goods in response to his 25% tariffs on imported
steel and aluminum. The EU, the largest trading partner of the U.S.,
described them as “unjustified and damaging.”
The tariffs are set to go into effect in stages, some on April 15
and others on May 15 and Dec. 1. The EU commission didn’t
immediately provide a list of the goods. The bloc’s top trade
official has shuttled between Brussels and Washington for weeks
trying to head off a conflict.
But Von der Leyen gave no sign that the EU’s timetable has changed.
Spokesman Olof Gill noted that the commission “will now take the
necessary time to assess this latest development, in close
consultation with our member states and industry, before deciding on
next steps.”
Members of the EU – the world’s largest trading bloc – repeated
their preference for a negotiated deal to settle trade issues, and
von der Leyen underscored that commitment, “with the goal of
achieving frictionless and mutually beneficial trade.”
Still, the head of the EU’s executive branch – which negotiates
trade deals and disputes on behalf of the member countries – said
that Europe intends to diversify its trade partnerships.
She said that the EU will continue “engaging with countries that
account for 87% of global trade and share our commitment to a free
and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas,” and to lift
barriers to commerce inside its own single market.
“Together, Europeans will emerge stronger from this crisis,” von der
Leyen said.
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