EU Plans More Engagement With Countries Hit By U.S. Tariffs

The European Union is preparing to deepen engagement with countries affected by former President Donald Trump’s tariffs, amid a fresh wave of threats to the bloc and other U.S. trading partners, Jorge Valero, Andrea Palasciano, and Alberto Nardelli reported for Bloomberg News.

The move comes as trade talks between the EU and the U.S. have stalled over unresolved issues, including automotive tariffs and agricultural duties. I Photo: European Communities Wikimedia Commons

The outreach includes potential coordination with countries such as Canada and Japan, according to sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.

The move comes as trade talks between the EU and the U.S. have stalled over unresolved issues, including automotive tariffs and agricultural duties. EU member states were briefed on the talks’ status on Sunday.

Earlier that day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the bloc would extend the suspension of trade countermeasures against the U.S. until August 1, in hopes of advancing negotiations.

The countermeasures had initially been adopted in response to Trump’s earlier tariffs on steel and aluminum, before being paused. They were scheduled to snap back into effect at midnight on Tuesday.

The current list of retaliatory measures would impact about €21 billion ($24.5 billion) in U.S. goods.

The EU is also preparing an additional set of potential actions worth about €72 billion, including possible export controls, which could be presented to member states as early as Monday, the sources said.