EU Officials Prepare Countermeasures as US Considers Tariffs on Metal Imports
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has stated that the European Union will take corresponding measures if US President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose tariffs on metal imports. Trump announced last Sunday that he would impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports to the US, in addition to existing US tariffs on metals.
“There is no hesitation when it comes to defending our interests” Barrot emphasized in an interview with TF1, adding that the announcement was not a surprise. “It is exactly what Donald Trump did in 2018 and we reacted then. So, we will react in the same way this time.”
Barrot referred to the tariffs the US President introduced during his first term and the EU’s retaliatory measures that followed. He reiterated the “impressive list” of US import items that had previously been targeted, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Levi’s jeans, tobacco, corn, rice, orange juice and bourbon.
The European Commission has insisted on determining the sectors that will be targeted by the countermeasures, Barrot said, adding that “the time has come.”
Washington and Brussels have been embroiled in a major trade dispute since 2018, when Trump imposed tariffs of 25% on European steel imports and 10% on aluminum, citing national security concerns. The EU responded with retaliatory measures, imposing tariffs on motorcycles from Harley-Davidson and jeans from Levi Strauss.
Trump escalated the tensions by threatening tariffs on EU auto exports, which were never implemented. In his latest tariff move, the US President imposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada and 10% on imports from China, citing concerns over illegal migration and drug trafficking. The tariffs were later postponed for 30 days after negotiations with Mexican and Canadian leaders, who agreed to work on improving border security.
Last week, Trump also suspended a key part of the tariffs on China and maintained the long-standing duty-free status of small packages, following a chaotic impact on deliveries.