14.02.2025 18:30
The European Commission announced that it would respond immediately if the United States imposes customs duties on other countries based on the principle of reciprocity.
The European Commission (EC) issued a statement regarding the decision signed by U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday, which includes a plan to impose tariffs based on reciprocity principles on countries.
"THE U.S. IS TAXING ITS CITIZENS BY IMPOSING TARIFFS"
The statement noted that the EU views the trade policy proposed by Trump, which includes reciprocal tariffs, as a step in the wrong direction. It emphasized that the EU applies some of the lowest tariffs in the world and sees no justification for increasing tariffs on U.S. exports, stating, "Tariffs are taxes. The U.S. is taxing its citizens by imposing tariffs, increasing costs for businesses, hindering growth, and fueling inflation. Tariffs increase economic uncertainty and disrupt the efficiency and integration of global markets."
"THE EU WILL RESPOND IMMEDIATELY AND SEVERELY"
The statement recalled that global trade thrives with predictable and transparent rules along with low tariffs, pointing out that the U.S. has recently harmed this. It included the expression, "The EU will respond immediately and severely to unfair barriers to free and fair trade," emphasizing that businesses, workers, and consumers in Europe will be protected from unfair tariff measures.