EU Postpones Retaliation Against U.S. Tariffs Until August
(MENAFN) Brussels will postpone implementing retaliatory measures against the newly announced US tariffs until early August, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed. She emphasized the EU’s commitment to securing a negotiated trade resolution with its transatlantic ally.
Last Saturday, US President Donald Trump announced plans to introduce an additional 30% tariff on imports from the EU and Mexico. This move is part of Trump’s wider strategy to tackle trade imbalances with major trading partners. These new tariffs, set to commence on August 1, would stack on top of existing duties, including the 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles imposed earlier this year.
Von der Leyen confirmed on Sunday that dialogue with the White House is ongoing following Washington’s tariff announcement.
“We will therefore extend the suspension of our countermeasures until early August. At the same time, we will continue preparing further countermeasures to ensure we are always ready,” she stated.
The EU initially suspended its first round of countermeasures targeting roughly $25 billion in US steel and aluminum imports back in April for a 90-day period, aiming to promote trade negotiations. This suspension was scheduled to expire on Monday.
Von der Leyen cautioned that the newly imposed US tariffs threaten to disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains, causing harm to businesses and consumers on both sides.
The EU ranks as one of the United States’ top trading partners. However, years of significant imports from the bloc—including machinery, cars, pharmaceuticals, and luxury products—have widened the US trade deficit considerably. In 2024, the US recorded a trade deficit exceeding $235 billion with the EU.
Trump has criticized the EU for engaging in unfair trade practices, blaming the trade imbalance on the bloc’s intricate regulatory policies. He has alleged the EU enforces “trade barriers, VAT taxes, excessive corporate penalties, non-monetary trade restrictions, currency manipulation, and unjustified lawsuits against American companies.”
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