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Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
Lastest News Nigeria, Politics, Business, Sport, Interview
|By Adejumo Adekunle-
• Trade ministers seek talks but brace for countermeasures
• Brussels sets April 15 as start date for first wave of duties
The European Union will begin imposing retaliatory tariffs on a range of U.S. imports starting April 15, following a firm decision by trade ministers who met in Luxembourg on Monday. The move comes as the bloc pushes back against import duties placed on EU steel, aluminum, and cars under former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial trade policy.
Despite agreeing on the need for negotiations, EU ministers made it clear they are prepared to take decisive action if the United States fails to engage in dialogue.
The 27-nation bloc is currently facing 25% U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum, and vehicles, along with additional 20% reciprocal tariffs on nearly all other goods. Trump’s policy, aimed at punishing countries with allegedly high trade barriers against U.S. imports, has continued to strain EU-U.S. trade relations.
“We need to remain calm and respond in a way that de-escalates. The stock markets right now show what will happen if we escalate straight away,” said Dutch Trade Minister Reinette Klever. “But we will be prepared to take countermeasures if needed to get the Americans at the table.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also emphasized a preference for dialogue, noting the EU’s readiness to negotiate a “zero-for-zero” tariff agreement on industrial goods.
Echoing this stance, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic confirmed the retaliatory plan will roll out in two phases—April 15 and May 15—targeting select U.S. goods in response to the tariffs on European metal exports.
“Sooner or later, we will sit at the negotiation table with the U.S. and find a mutually acceptable compromise,” Sefcovic said during a press conference in Brussels.
The ministers also used Monday’s meeting to weigh broader trade relations with China, underscoring the EU’s desire to maintain open markets while defending its own economic interests.
