Despite ongoing negotiations with the EU on Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced tariffs of 30 percent for European goods from August 1st. Brussels reacted reluctantly, at least this date should be negotiated. Already prepared counter tariffs have been postponed again.
However, the countermeasures that have now been postponed to at least the 1st August cannot actually be talked about “reciprocal” tariffs. The EU Commission had already prepared this package of countermeasures in the spring to respond to Stahl and aluminum imposed by Trump in the amount of 25 percent. Since then, 25 percent inches have been added to cars and ten percent “base customs” to almost all other goods. The steel and aluminum tariffs now increased Trump to 50 percent and expanded it to steel, which was processed in refrigerators.
“Our goal is and remains to quickly come to a solution that relieves the trade in the United States and provides for lower tariffs again,” emphasized Merz. “It won’t be easy. But I am confident that we will succeed.”
