Ready for further “countermeasures” to protect its interests, the EU appears after yesterday’s announcement by Donald Trump to impose up to 20% on European products. “We are already completing a first pack of countermeasures in response to the steel duties. And now we are preparing for further countermeasures, to protect our interests and businesses if the negotiations fail, “said Commission President Ursula von der Laien at dawn from Uzbekistan, where he will attend the first EU Summit.

The president of the Commission at the same time warned that duties would cause ‘hard blow»For the world economy.

“We will also carefully monitor the indirect impact these duties could have, because we cannot absorb the global surplus production capacity, nor will we accept dumping in our market,” he said.

Trump characterized yesterday by putting the list on the list of the list EU as one of the ‘worst offenders’, While 20% duties will be implemented from next Wednesday.

For her part, however, the President of the Commission said he was ready for negotiations, and admitted that Trump was right when some countries are “taking advantage of unauthorized” global commercial rules. But at the same time he pointed out that duties “as your first and last tool will not correct it” warning that they will “harm consumers around the world” and increase the cost of groceries, medicines and transport. “The world economy will suffer,” he noted.

Von der Lien has also pledged that the EU would “defend” specific industries, including cars and steel.

The US accuses the EU of targeting US products with a tariff rate of 39%, but the Commission puts about 1%. However, the US president was based on this calculation on other factors, such as VAT, who reaches 27% in some Member States.

The EU exported € 503 billion to the US in 2023, with a surplus of 157 billion euros. But had a lack of 109 billion euros in services.

How will the EU answer

However, the Commission has already warned that it already has a “powerful” retaliation plan and is expected to hit the service trade and US technological giants, as the President of the Commission said on Tuesday.

Soon, the EU will impose fines on Apple and Meta for violating the law of digital markets, and is also preparing for the “Anti-Coercion Instrument”, the statutory possibility to impose restrictions on the trade in service if it considers that it is using the third country.

In mid -April, it will also reintroduce the measures of 2018 – which was suspended – as a “response” to steel and aluminum duties.