EU prepared to retaliate against Trump tariffs

US President Donald Trump is sending shock waves through the global economy by announcing what he calls reciprocal tariffs on more than 180 countries and territories across the planet,

Washington is hitting traditional allies and enemies alike, the European Union, China, India and Japan have been slapped with tariffs at 20% while the rest of the world has been subjected to 10% duties.

• Trump’s tariffs risk global trade war; EU prepared to retaliate
  

  Trump’s tariffs risk global trade war; EU prepared to retaliate

  Trump

The European Union has said it is ready to respond by adopting retaliatory measures on US imports.

President Trump's announcement of universal tariffs on the whole world, including the European Union, is a major blow to the world economy.

At the same time, we are prepared to respond.

We are already finalizing the first package of countermeasures in response to tariffs on steel, and we are now preparing for further countermeasures to protect our interests and our businesses if negotiations fail.

Ursula Von der Leyen, European Commission, President

According to a YouGov survey published on Tuesday, a majority of European Union citizens across some of the largest European economies, such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Denmark and Sweden, support imposing retaliatory measures on US imports.

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  The European Commission president warns the new tariffs by the US will be a major blow to the world economy.

Together with Germany, Italy is among the most exposed countries on the old continent, risking the most serious consequences.

I am convinced that we must do everything we can to work towards an agreement with the United States with the goal of preventing a trade war that would inevitably weaken both the US and the EU.

Georgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy

Between 2018 and 2023, Italy's exports to the United States increased yearly by more than 6% from around $52 billion to over $70 billion.

The food and agricultural sector represents the largest share, in terms of export value, and risks losing around $1.6 billion following Trump's move.

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  US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on US imports have ignited threats of retaliation globally, with governments and companies rushed to formulate countermeasures to mitigate the consequences of the US trade war.

Between 2022 and 2024, Italy maintained a strong trade surplus with the United States, averaging around $49 billion per year.

If a trade war were to start, we cannot say we didn't see it coming. We have already been through the effects of tariffs, embargoes and sanctions.

Italy has already lost trade partners and market opportunities as a consequence of these punitive measures.

The risk is to return to a stagnant economy, high levels of inflation and to create more poverty.

Lorenzo Bazzania Coldiretti, National Farmers Association

Several nations have said they are ready to retaliate against Trump's tariffs, raising the risk of a global trade war, marked by tit for tat (reciprocal) tariffs.

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