US tariffs: from the Leyen warns of damage from US tariffs

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has the customs announcement of US President Donald Trump criticized. She warned that 30 percent tariffs on EU goods would sensitively disrupt transatlantic supply chains. The EU has always sought a negotiating solution with the USA, said von der Leyen – and it was still ready to work on an agreement until August 1st.

If this does not succeed, the EU will take all the necessary steps to protect its interests. According to the Commission President, this also includes countermeasures that Trump had previously warned of. In the event of a lack of willingness to negotiate the United States on the part of the USA, in a first step, special tariffs on imports of US products to the EU should be in particular.

EU President announces worldwide trading partnerships

EU Council President António Costa emphasized the unity of the EU. The European Union remains “determined, united and ready to protect its interests,” said Costa. The EU will also continue to build strong trading partnerships worldwide.

Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche said she hoped for a “pragmatic negotiation result”. The announced Tariff “Would hit the European exporting companies hard,” said the CDU politician. “In the remaining time for the EU, it is now about pragmatically negotiating a solution with the United States that focuses on the main major conflict points.”

The EU could rely on German support. Rich also pointed out that the threatened US tariffs would not only suffer from European export companies. Rather, these would also have “strong effects on the economy and consumers on the other side of the Atlantic,” said Reiche. “A pragmatic negotiation result must be achieved quickly.”

Macron demands countermeasures

France’s President Emmanuel Macron asks to prepare the EU countermeasures faster. To do this, the EU Commission Macron wrote all of the instruments available to it if no agreement is reached by August 1st, “In European unity, it is more than ever the task of the Union’s determination to resolve the determination of determining the European interests.”

The EU Commission also expressed support for the governments of Italy and the Netherlands. Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was confident that a fair agreement could still be achieved. For this, it was crucial to concentrate on the negotiations, her government said. Italy fully support the efforts of the EU Commission, which would be intensified in the coming days.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof criticized the announced US special duties and called on the EU to unity. Trump’s announcement is “worrying” and not the right way, he wrote to X. The European Commission could count on the full support of the Netherlands in order to achieve a result that is advantageous for both sides.

The chairman of the European Parliament (EP) Commercial Committee (EP), Bernd Lange, called Trump’s customs letter an “insolence”. It is brazen and disrespectful that the US President now increased the tariffs announced on April 2 on EU imports of 20 percent, despite intensive negotiations, said Lange. He demanded that the first special tariffs should be put into force on the import of US products in the EU.

Foreign trade association demands hard negotiations

In Germany, the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI) spoke of an alarm signal for industry on both sides of the Atlantic. “A trade conflict between two confident economic areas as the EU and the USA harms economic relaxation, innovative strength and ultimately also trust in international cooperation,” said Wolfgang Niedermark, member of the BDI main management. “The few weeks until the tariffs come into force on August 1st must be used for negotiations at eye level.”

The German Foreign Trade Association BGA demanded strategically. Trump’s announcement is “a practiced part of the American president’s negotiating strategy. Europe must not be impressed by this, but has to look soberly at the negotiating table at eye level,” said Association President Dirk Jandura. In addition, Europe has to reduce its dependence on the US market. This requires a free trade zone with the Asean countries and a rapid ratification of the Mercosur Agreement. “We need a democratic trade coalition of the willing, gladly with, but if necessary without the United States.”

The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) warned of the advances of individual industries and called for a comprehensive agreement. “Only a resilient agreement can lead to predictability and reliability again. This must then apply to all industries-and excludes sectoral procedures,” said Dihk foreign manager Volker Treier.

Auto industry sees costs in billions

The Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) warned against billions in costs by further US tariff. “The costs for our companies are already in the billions-and every day the sum grows,” said VDA President Hildegard Müller. The EU and the USA should now “find a solution as soon as possible”.

The car manufacturer BMW confirmed his demand for free goods traffic. “The trading partner USA and EU promote economic growth on both sides of the Atlantic by reducing customs duties and aging a fair, bilateral trade agreement,” wrote the carmaker.

EU has prepared billions of bills of against tariffs

Despite ongoing negotiations, Trump announced additional tariffs on all EU goods of 30 percent on Saturday. They should apply from August 1st if there is no agreement until then. So far, ten percent of all goods – or 25 percent on cars and 50 percent on steel and aluminum. According to the US government, these tariffs on special product groups should remain in the current amount.

The EU has prepared counter-tariffs for US products worth around 21 billion euros, but these are exposed to the period of negotiations. A first list includes US products such as jeans and motorcycles. The EU countries are currently working on a second list of US products worth up to 95 billion euros.