Single front against his policies Donald Trump Europe is seeking before it decides the countermeasures on the duties imposed. The first reactions of European governments to US duties do not precede the single front of Brussels, but time is pushing and decisions must be taken immediately.

According to the Reuters agency, the European Union is gearing up for a first … targeted counterparts to US products for imports of up to $ 28 billion.

The Europeans They believe that in this way they will send a message to the other side of the Atlantic, but analysts are not sure if this logic will have results against Trump, who only perceives the law of the powerful.

In any case, it will be a clear escalation in the upcoming trade war, while burdening European consumers, as some products will grow even further.

The EU 27 block faces 25% import tariffs in steel and aluminum and cars and “mutual” duties 20% on Wednesday for almost all other goods.

The Trump’s duties They cover about 70% of EU exports to the United States – totaling € 532 billion.

Commission’s proposal – the list of counterparts for countermeasures

The European Commission, which coordinates EU trade policy, will propose to EU members on Monday a list of US products that will be imposed by additional duties in response to Trump steel and aluminum duties instead of the wider mutual contributions.

The list will include meat, cereals, wine, wood and US clothes, as well as chewing gum, dental floss, vacuum cleaners and toilet paper.

A product that has taken a lot of attention and has intensified divisions in the “27” is Burbon. The Commission has predicted 50% duties, pushing Trump to threaten a 200% reaction to EU alcoholic beverages.

The wine exporters to France and Italy They also expressed strong concerns. The EU, whose economy is largely dependent on free trade, is willing to ensure that it has widespread support for any answer to maintain the pressure on Trump to eventually start negotiations.

Luxembourg will host the first EU political meeting earlier on Monday after Trump’s announcement on sweeping duties, when ministers responsible for trade in the 27 EU members will exchange views on the impact and the best way of reaction.

EU diplomats said that the main objective of the meeting is to show a single message of negotiation with Washington to lift duties. As an alternative, if the negotiation fails, it is proposed to answer with countermeasures.

Among EU members, there is a range of views on how to react. France has said that the EU should work in a package that will exceed duties and the French president Emmanuel Macron European companies have proposed to suspend investment in the United States until things are “clarified”.

Ireland, almost one -third of the exports of which they go to the United States, has requested a “examined and measured” response, while Italy, the third largest EU exporter in the US, has questioned whether the EU has to react.

Talks with Washington to date have not yielded fruit. EU Commerce Chief Maros Sefkovic described his two -hour exchange with his US counterparts on Friday as “honest” as he told them that US duties were “harmful and unjustified”.

EU initial reactions will in any case be voted on Wednesday and will be approved in addition to the unlikely event that the special majority of 15 EU members, which account for 65% of the population, oppose.

The countermeasures, if decided, will come into force in two stages, a smaller part on April 15 and the remaining one month later.

Commission President Ursula von der Laien will also have separate discussions on Monday and Tuesday with executives from the steel, automotive and pharmaceutical industry to evaluate the impact of duties and determine what will happen.