On April 9, EU Member States approved the European Commission’s proposal to introduce trade countermeasures, a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum, against the US, starting from April 15, in retaliation for the US decision to impose reciprocal tariffs.
However, in a sudden turn of events, President Donald Trump decided to pause tariffs for 90 days on nearly 60 countries, except China. The US administration increased tariffs on goods from China to 125%. As an answer to this sudden change in mind regarding the tariffs on the EU, the EU announces that it will pause its first countermeasures against US tariffs.
“We took note of the announcement by President Trump.
We want to give negotiations a chance.
While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days.
If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in.
Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues.
As I have said before, all options remain on the table.”
This was the statement by Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, regarding the EU’s decision to pause its first countermeasures against US tariffs for 90 days.
With these dynamic and unpredictable changes from the US administration under President Trump, it remains to be seen what the future holds and how China and other countries will react to the newly occurring situation.
- Commission proposal to impose trade countermeasures against US obtains necessary support from EU Member States
- BBC: US pauses higher tariffs for most countries after market havoc, but hits China harder
- Reuters: EU pauses countermeasures following Trump’s tariff reprieve