In a move that significantly escalates international commercial tensions, the US president announced the imposition of 30% duties on all imports from the European Union and Mexico, starting on August 1st.
The decision was announced on Saturday by letters posted on the Truth Social platform, signaling the failure of many days of negotiations with two of their most important commercial partners
This new duty wave comes a few days after Trump imposed a number of additional measures against other countries, including Japan, South Korea, Canada and Brazil, as well as a 50% imposing duty on imported copper.
The decision on EU duties is considered particularly critical, as the Union is the largest commercial and investment partner in the US. Brussels had invested politically and diplomatically in the conclusion of a broader trade agreement that would provide for a mutually abolition of tariffs on industrial products, but months of harsh and often dead -end negotiations with Washington did not bear fruit.
The European Commission has not yet officially commented on new duties, but according to diplomatic sources, countermeasures are being examined and the appeal to the World Trade Organization. For his part, Trump is determined to continue the pressure until his commercial partners accept what he calls “fair terms of exchanges”.
The imposition of 30% duties is expected to significantly affect Europe’s exports to the US to sectors such as the automotive, machinery, medicinal products and agricultural goods. Especially for Germany and the large multinationals, this burden is a serious threat to the viability of much of their export activities.
