Trump plans tariffs: EU is preparing for sharp countermeasures!

Trump plans tariffs: EU is preparing for sharp countermeasures!

US President Donald Trump has reignited the trade fire by deciding to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from abroad, including the European Union. This was announced on February 11, 2025, which immediately caused waves in the EU. In response, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the unlawful tariffs will not go unanswered. She pointed out that the EU will take decisive and proportional countermeasures to protect its economic interests as well bostonglobe.com reported.

EU reacts sharply to US tariffs

The European Parliament plans to respond with possible counter-tariffs on a variety of US products on April 1 if an agreement is not reached by March 12. These would affect, among other things, jeans, bourbon whiskey and motorcycles, on which the EU had already introduced special tariffs during Trump's first term in office, as explained by Trade Committee Chairman Bernd Lange. Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized that the EU would react as one if the USA did not offer another way. Both sides are under pressure: the mutual tariffs not only endanger trade relations, but also the economic prosperity of both countries.

Austrian companies such as voestalpine and AMAG are also affected by US tariffs. Economics Minister Martin Kocher reiterated his support for the EU countermeasures, which contradict the principle of free trade. The risks of a trade war are obvious, as tariff measures always burden both companies and consumers. As von Leyen made clear, tariffs are nothing more than taxes that do not benefit either companies or consumers.