First advice in Luxembrure but no definitive decision. They refer to tariff measures from April 15th
Reaction, gradual, but only initially. In Luxembourg, the ministers responsible for trade mark the direction of the old continent to face American duties. Europe takes time and tries to deal with Trump, but it does not remain firm. The date of April 15 is confirmed to trigger the first countermeasures and, if agreement will not be, after a month you will move on to a second tranche of US products to hit. But the European Union prefers “a negotiated solution that sweeps away the risk of commercial wars,” he said clearly Michał Baraowski, Undersecretary for the economic development of Poland who has the presidency on duty of the European Council.
In Luxembourg, the EU Commerce Council has however shown a Europe divided on wanting to avoid commercial war and wanting to try to negotiate. On the Italian push, an attempt to negotiation with the White House is being started, but on the other hand a slice of Member States is suitable for starting the countermeasures to the duties from 15 April.
Only for the moment it negotiates. This was also demonstrated by the declarations of the President of the European Commission who recalled the European proposal in Trump during the day: “Our offer is clear: Zero for zero rates on industrial goods, As we did with other partners. Europe is always ready for a good deal “. The European offer, already on the White House table from March 19, includes a free trade area for cars, steel, aluminum, pharmaceutical products, semiconductors, plastic, wood, chemistry and machinery. A wide proposal, which aims to defuse the protectionist escalation of Donald Trump. But the response of the White House, for now, has been negative.
And in the meantime, while the bags collapse and Trump confirms the duties, Europe is held to the starting blocks: if agreement will not be, then you have to have “ready -made weapons”. And so in the next few hours the list of the first countermeasures will be presented, which will start on April 15th. It will therefore start with a first wave of duties on assets symbol of Made in the USA (food products, appliances etc.), as well as steel and aluminum. Then, as the WTO rules include, after a month away to the second list if it is needed. As he clarified The EU Commissioner for Commerce, Maros Sefcovic: “We are ready to negotiate, but if there is no availability, we will pass to phase two: the targeted answer”.
Politicians and institutions are at work and the tables of entrepreneurs and trade associations are multiplying which, worried, confront each other. “We apply an additional duty of 20% to all the goods that American companies (or attributable to an American parent company) come to Europe, a duty that is entirely canceled if the American company actually produces the product in the United States”, proposes Elvio Silvagni, sole director of Silver 1 (owner of the brand Valleverde, Rafing Goldstar, Biomodex).
In the next few hours the lists of the countermeasures of the European Union. On Wednesday the European Parliament is the vote, but the political address is already clear: to avoid the commercial war, but without getting the rules dictated by the United States. The countdown has started. April 15 is close, on May 15th less. The time to negotiate is.
