European leaders and industry circles have reacted strongly to US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he will impose 30% tariffs on imports from the EU from August 1, a significant increase on the current 10% base rate, according to Euractiv.
According to the publication, the decision has caused outrage among EU member state leaders, who are calling for an immediate and tough response from Brussels. European diplomats will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss measures
Bernd Lange, chairman of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, called Washington’s actions “arrogant and a slap in the face” and said that countermeasures should take effect as early as Monday.
French President Emmanuel Macron called on the European Commission to resolutely defend the EU’s interests if no agreement is reached by August 1.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez noted the strength of the single market, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed hope that escalation could be avoided.
Hungary criticized the European Commission, saying that tariffs should have been lowered after Trump’s return.
Meanwhile, representatives of European industry are warning of serious consequences of the new tariffs. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) called Trump’s statement “an alarm bell” and called for a quick solution to avoid further escalation. According to official data, German exports to the US have already fallen to their lowest level since March 2022,” the statement said.
The food industry, particularly the wine sector, is particularly affected. The Italian wine association UIV said the new tariffs could lead to an embargo on 80% of Italian wine exports to the US. “This is the darkest page in the relationship between two historic allies,” said UIV President Lamberto Frescobaldi.
