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Customs war: EU and USA face crucial negotiations on tariffs!
EU Trade Commissioner Sefcovic is negotiating with the USA about impending tariffs. Expect further developments by August 2025.
Customs war: EU and USA face crucial negotiations on tariffs!
On Wednesday, July 23, 2025, trade relations between the European Union (EU) and the USA will be the focus of a crucial day of negotiations. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is meeting with his US counterpart to discuss the serious tariff dispute between the two economies. The meeting comes amid a tense political environment as US President Donald Trump has set an August 1 deadline to impose possible tariffs of up to 30% on European goods. This could have a significant impact on trade between the US and the EU, as US tariffs could affect 370 billion euros worth of European goods, according to Krone.
The EU plans to conduct further negotiations by this deadline in order to prevent the trade conflict from escalating. Sefcovic explained that the EU Commission is in intensive contact at civil and political level. Trump said the Europeans would "make presentations" on Wednesday, without providing specific details about the negotiations. If an agreement is not reached, the EU is already preparing counter tariffs on US goods, including products such as jeans and motorcycles, the total value of which is estimated at 21 billion euros.
Countertariffs and their effects
The list of planned counter-tariffs describes goods worth up to 72 billion euros that could be affected if negotiations fail. These measures affect both agricultural and industrial products from the USA. The EU's response to the US tariffs is currently expected to be weaker, but the Commission also plans to take measures against US service providers and digital companies if the trade dispute escalates further. According to Ecovis, American tariffs that have already been imposed on steel and aluminum from the EU have led to a tense relationship between the trading partners.
Trump announced high import surcharges for European goods in April 2025, but reduced them to 10%. There are currently exceptions to these tariffs for certain products such as medicines and pharmaceutical products. The EU, on the other hand, has in the past organized itself as a customs union in which no customs duties are levied on goods within the EU and uniform customs law applies to third countries.
Corporate strategies and risks
The challenges of the worsening trade conflict require companies to act proactively. Experts recommend reviewing business strategies and adjusting them if necessary. Business leaders should consider the following actions:
- Analyse von Warenströmen und Absatzmärkten zur Identifizierung von Risiken.
- Optimierung der Preisgestaltung und Verrechnungspreise.
- Diversifizierung der Wertschöpfungskette durch mögliche Produktionsverlagerungen.
- Überblick über steuerliche Konsequenzen, insbesondere bei Funktionsverlagerungen.
- Entwicklung einer flexiblen Risikominimierungsstrategie mit Szenarioanalysen.
The upcoming day of negotiations will be a critical moment to determine the direction of EU-US trade relations and assess the economic consequences for companies. The next steps could determine whether trade talks lead to an agreement or whether the tariffs will actually come into force and severely impact existing trade flows.