Shortly after the entry into force of new US tariffs to imports of steel and aluminum, Europe is responding: The EU Commission wants to charge tariffs to US goods worth 26 billion euros from April.
The EU has announced a decisive response to the US tariffs that have been in effect on today’s steel and aluminum imports. As the European Commission announced in the morning, EU extracölle should be due again in a first step from April on the import of American products such as Bourbon Whiskey, Jeans, Motorcycles, Boats and Peanut Builders.
Previously, the tariffs of 25 percent announced by US President Donald Trump had come into force. From Brussels it was said that further countermeasures would then follow after coordination with the EU member states in mid-April. The tariffs are “bad for business and even worse for consumers,” said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EU had previously announced that they could and want to react quickly to tariffs from the USA.
“The European Union must act”
According to the EU Commission, the new US tariffs of 25 percent exports from the EU with a total value of EUR 26 billion meet, which corresponds to around five percent of the EU’s total goods. “Based on the current import flows, this will result in US importers have to pay up to six billion euros in additional import duties,” it said. The EU counter-measures should now compensate for this.
According to the EU Commission, US goods exports worth 26 billion euros are affected by the planned EU reactions. In the first step, goods worth around eight billion euros are said to go, in the second by goods worth around 18 billion euros. “The European Union has to act to protect consumers and companies,” said von der Leyen. She spoke of proportionate countermeasures.
The chairman of the trade committee in the EU Parliament, Bernd Lange (SPD), said im rbb24 inforadio To the European counter-tariffs: “These motorcycles over 500 cubic, of course, is a bit symbolic, but they are essentially steel and aluminum products. Window frame, grille, pipes, that are lists, which are four or five pages long.”
Trump sees “national security” in danger
Trump argues that excessive steel and aluminum imports threatened the national security of the United States. He also accuses China of flooding the worldwide market with cheap metal, and there is a risk of a new trade dispute. For a long time, the US government criticized for the reason: “Fishing equipment or pumping or car rods, all of which are now falling below these 25 percent rule. How can this be started on the grounds that they would question the security of the United States? This is completely absurd.”
The Leyen emphasized that she was still ready to work on a negotiating solution with the US government. “We are firmly convinced that in a world full of geopolitical and economic uncertainties, it is not in our common interest to burden our economies with tariffs.” She commissioned trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic to resume his talks with the United States in order to develop better solutions.
Up to 15 percent from the EU
According to the latest data, around a quarter of the steel used by industry in the USA is imported. With aluminum, the value is more than 40 percent. With secondary aluminum, which comes from recycled material, the value is again significantly higher.
According to the American Iron and Steel Institute for 2024, the United States relates its steel, especially from Canada, Brazil and Mexico. Germany and China also rank in the top 10 of the countries of origin of steel imports.
According to the latest data, around ten percent of all steel and 15 percent of all aluminum imports in the United States come from the EU. At the Stahl industry association, it was said that the United States was the most important sales market for the European steel industry.
