The European Commission has expressed its intention to protect its interests in response to the announcement of tariffs on aluminum and steel imports from the US. According to Brussels, the tariffs, which will affect European countries, have not been officially notified, making them “illegal” and “counterproductive”. The Commission stated that it will not make a final evaluation until it receives official notification from the US administration.
The statement from Brussels reads: “At this time, we have not received any official notification about the imposition of additional tariffs on EU products. We will not respond to broad ads without details or written clarifications. The EU does not see any justification for the imposition of tariffs on their exports. We will react to protect the interests of companies, workers and European consumers against unjustified measures.”
Reaction from France
France has called for the European Union to impose tariffs on American products immediately. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the US had already imposed similar tariffs in 2018, and now it is time for the EU to replicate the measure. Barrot emphasized that the decision on which products to impose tariffs on will be made by the European Commission and denied any intention to start a trade war.
In an interview with the TF1 chain, Barrot said, “Trump already imposed those tariffs in 2018 and then replied. Now we will replicate again.” He added that the European Commission had informed them that they were ready to take action when the time arrived, and that time has now come. Barrot stressed, “You don’t have to have the minimum doubt when our interests are damaged.”
The US announcement to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports was made on Sunday. This measure is not new, as it was previously taken during Trump’s first term to protect the US industry in these domains. The US is a significant market for European steel exports, accounting for a quarter of the total exports. The steel industry is subject to intense international competition and has been affected by the decline in demand from the car sector.
The European Commission’s response and France’s call for action indicate a strong determination to protect European interests and industries. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how the EU will react to the US tariffs and what products will be subject to tariffs.
