Ursula von der Leyen has announced that they are already being prepared to respond to the announcement of tariffs in the amount of 20%
“A big blow” in the economy and all world consumers. This is how the European Union sees the one done when the president of the European Commission was probably sleeping in the distant city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where he is with European Council, António Costa, for a summit.
That’s why there was no immediate reaction from Brussels, but Ursula von der Leyen didn’t want to let Donald Trump wait a long time.
Still in the early hours of the European dawn, more precisely around 4:30 am, the official account of the European Commission President on social networks put a short message with just over five minutes.
This is where it is guaranteed that “Europe is prepared to respond” to the announcement of 20% rates, a percentage that is well below 34% applied to China or 49% that will reach Cambodia.
Ursula Von der Leyen laments “deeply” what made it clear to be a “choice” of Donald Trump, a choice that will have “huge consequences” about the global economy, which will “suffer massively.”
“Uncertainty will be spiral and trigger protectionism. The consequences will be terrible for millions of people worldwide, also to the most vulnerable countries,” he said, remembering the tariffs applied to countries such as Bangladesh, for example.
It is the opposite of what the European Union wanted, it continued Ursula von der Leyen, which warns of “immediate” effects on millions of consumers, namely in supermarkets, pharmacies and even transport.
But it’s not just: “Inflation will rise and this will particularly harm the most vulnerable citizens,” he said, anticipating that everyone starts to suffer now, whether the companies, with the disruption of supply chains.
“The cost of doing business with the United States will rise dramatically and there seems to be no order in disorder,” he added, speaking of Donald Trump’s “chaos” that puts in question of 80 years of partnership between the European Union block and the United States.
A partnership that, said the president of the European Commission, led to the creation of millions of jobs and the development of western societies.
Although it agrees with Donald Trump at the point that refers to the use of third countries, although without referring to which Ursula von der Leyen was available to work with the White House to improve the commercial system.
“But I also want to be clear: using tariffs like the first and last tool will not result,” he said, ensuring, as he had done, that the European Union “is always ready to answer.”
“We are already finalizing the first packet of countermeasures regarding steel and now we are preparing more contracted to protect our interests and our business if negotiations fail,” he reiterated.
For Ursula von der Leyen there is “an alternative path”: are negotiations with the United States, to which the Commerce Commissioner, Maroš šefčovič, is already highlighted, currently in permanent contact with the American side. The goal is to remove barriers, not raise them.
Speaking then directly to Europeans, the president of the European Commission understands that citizens of the 27 member states are “disappointed with our oldest ally,” but has ensured that “Europe has everything it takes to face the storm.”
“We are in this together. If they attack one of us, they all attack us,” he concluded, noting that it is the European unity that will prevail as the great strength in “tumultuous times.”
“We will always protect our interests and values. We are also ready to commit,” Von Der Leyen has ended in the shared message on social networks.
