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EU delays retaliatory trade action to
mid-April to work out the impact of Trump's reciprocal tariffs
[March 21, 2025]
BRUSSELS (AP) — The
European Union is delaying until mid-April its retaliatory trade action
over the Trump administration’s increase in tariffs on all steel and
aluminum imports to 25%, senior officials said Thursday.
The EU had intended to impose measures on goods from the United States
worth some 26 billion euros ($28 billion) in two phases, on April 1 and
April 13. The tariffs will target steel and aluminum products, but also
American beef, poultry, bourbon, motorcycles, peanut butter and jeans. |
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, left, speaks with
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a round table meeting at an EU
summit in Brussels, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana) |
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But
U.S. President Donald Trump also plans to impose “reciprocal”
tariffs by increasing U.S. duties to match the tax rates that
other countries charge on imports “for purposes of fairness.”
These reciprocal tariffs are expected to be announced on April
2.
“I can confirm that we decided to adjust the timing of the entry
into force of tariffs,” European Commission President Ursula von
der Leyen said. The EU’s executive branch manages trade
negotiations and disputes on behalf of the 27-member bloc.
Von der Leyen said that with the delay, the commission’s goal is
“to get the balance of products right, reflecting the interests
of our producers, our exporters, our consumers, and of course,
minimize the potential negative impact on our economy.”
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who has held talks with
U.S. officials to try to avoid a tariff war, warned lawmakers
earlier on Thursday that “the situation is quite fluid, quite
volatile.”
Šefčovič said that delaying the measures would allow the EU to
better understand the possible impact of Trump’s reciprocal
tariffs and work out how best to respond.
“This would also give us extra time for negotiations with our
American partners to try to find a mutually agreeable solution,
which clearly would be a preference for us,” he added.
Von der Leyen reaffirmed that the world’s biggest trading bloc
is “opposed to tariffs. We think that tariffs are bad. They are
like taxes. They are bad for consumers. They are bad for
business on both sides of the Atlantic without any question.”
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