Ursula von der Leyen / X
Meeting of European Leaders
The European Commission (CE) will present at the beginning of next week, its response to the trade war began by Donald Trump. But member states have already received the list of US products that may become targets of 25%rates.
While still open to negotiating with Trump, to prevent them from advancing, the European Union (EU) is already deciding how it will respond, cases the rates announced by the US President persist.
“We want to negotiate with the US to avoid rates. We first prepare our Answer to steel and aluminumand then we will respond to reciprocal rates and to cars“Announces a spokesman for the community executive quoted by the Spanish newspaper.
The European response will be “phase, calm, calibrated and selective”And it will advance with“ constant consultations ”with member states and industry, this spokesman adds.
EU has already defined US products list to tax by 25%
Member States have already received a list of North American products that can become targets of 25% ratesthe agency is good.
In this list, there are products such as diamonds, eggs, floss, sausages and birdsaccording to an internal document consulted by the news agency.
The online newspaper adds that the EU considers it to apply US export rates, as Soy, sweet corn, rice, almonds, orange juice, cranks, tobacco, iron, steel, aluminumright Boats and Vehicles, textiles and certain clothesand various types of make -up.
Soy is a good example of what CE has defined how “smart” ratesin order to hit the US “where it hurts the most” and with the lowest possible effect for European consumers. It is that this legume is easy to find in markets in South America.
This product list will now be voted by the Member States at a meeting on Wednesday, April 9.
Spared American bourbon
O bourbon do Kentuckya type of American whiskey, is left out of the EU-targeted product list with new tariffs. It is a measure that intends save the wine and the European alcoholic beverages of a possible vindictive response from Trump.
This decision was a assignment to the requests of France and Italyin defense of its wine industries, but also helps safeguard Oeo Spanish.
Brussels had threatened to impose a 50% rate on US BourbonBut Trump warned that, in this case, he would impose a 200% counterfill on all EU alcohol.
This punishment would be too heavy for Europe, as it would endanger exports of these products to the US.
EU fears using the “nuclear bomb” against Trump
On the table in the EU, there is still the possibility of using the so -called “Anti-coercion instrument”(ACI in the acronym) that is seen as a “bomba nuclear”because it would give the community executive power to reach sectors of the US service area, namely to technology and bank.
But it is not certain that the 27 member states are willing to activate the ICA, because it would “mean that the block would really be in a trade war,” as the politician points out.
At this point, only “about 20%” from member states They are willing to resort to ACI, adds the newspaper online.
Countries such as Ireland and Italywhich depend a lot on the US in the pharmaceutical and winery sectors, are “cautious Regarding the climb of commercial tensions with Trump, ”says the politician.
Resort to ACI “It would be an extraordinary climbing At a time when we should be working for a bass, ”said Foreign Minister and Ireland Trade, Simon Harris, about the ICA, as the politician quotes.
What is the anti-coercion instrument of the EU?
ACI is a tool created for protect the Member States against economic coercion exercised by third countries. It was adopted in 2023, but seems to be designed to Trump’s recent initiated.
It is an instrument that allows the EU to respond to measures that economically press the community bloc, or any of its countries, interfering with its sovereign decisions.
Thus, it can be activated if any country try to force the EU to make a certain decision through commercial restrictions or threats.
Provides for measures such as the imposition of tariffs about products from the country that practices coercion, restrictions on trade in services and to access to foreign investmentsand the Blocking participation in public tenders and programs funded by the EU.
Fines to Apple and goal on the table
CE is also “Ultimate Fines against Apple and the goal For violating the Digital Markets Law (DMA), ”the El País found.
DMA defines the way technological companies should operate in the European market, being in question Digital Competition Rules of the EU.
“If we do not want to cooperate, we will not hesitate to impose the fines identified by the law,” the European Competition Commissioner has warned, Spanish Teresa Ribera, in statements in the European Parliament.
DMA predicts Fines up to 10% of the total business volume for companies that do not comply with the law. The value may rise to 20% in case of recurrence.
However, the president of CE, has already called the Chinese Prime Minister, I read Qiang, appealing to a “Negotiated solution” with the US.
Announced it that It will “fight until the end” Contras the new threats of Trump tariffs, who spoke of rising rates on Chinese products to 104%.
