London – The European Union responded on Wednesday to the Trump administration steel rates, saying that Member States would place countermeasures at about 26 billion euros, or around $ 28 billion, of US goods.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in A statement that the EU “must act to protect consumers and business.”
“Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers,” said Von der Leyen. “These tariffs are interrupting supply chains. They bring uncertainty for the economy. Jobs are at stake. Prices will rise. In Europe and in the United States.”
A worker moves the steel product in North York Iron, a steel supplier in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on February 11, 2025.
Cole Bursston/AFP through Getty Images
The United States began on Wednesday to impose 25% tariffs on all imports of steel and aluminum of all commercial partners, without exceptions or exemptions, said the White House.
The European measures were designed to match the scope of these US rates, which the European Union said it would be worth around $ 28 billion. The countermeasures were expected to begin on April 1 and were completely in their place before April 13, the commission said.
“Meanwhile, we will always remain open to negotiation,” said Von der Leyen.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addresses the members of the European Parliament on the new plans to increase the agreed defense expense at the summit last week on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, this one in France.
Pascal Bastien/AP
The countermeasures include two steps, the first of which is to restore on April 1 a previously suspended set Turmedidas 2018 and 2020 against the United States in a range of products.
For step two, Member States will be implemented in mid -April, new April countermeasures that are directed to about 18 billion assets worth the United States that enter the block.
These new countermeasures will go to industrial and agricultural products, which include steel and aluminum, appliances, wood products, poultry, beef and other food imports, according to An information sheet Launched on Wednesday.
Maros Sefcovic, EU trade commissioner, said that European officials would continue working with their American counterparts towards a “win-win” result, but “unjustified tariffs in our exports will not remain unanswered.”
“We should make this great stronger relationship, no further,” he said in a statement.
