President Donald Trump speaks to supporters throughout a rally on the US Metal-Irvin Works on Might 30, 2025 in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
Jeff Swensen | Getty Photographs
The European Union on Saturday criticized President Donald Trump’s transfer to double tariffs on steel imports, warning that it “undermines” efforts to succeed in a “negotiated answer” within the ongoing commerce battle.
“We strongly remorse the introduced enhance of U.S. tariffs on metal imports from 25% to 50%,” an EU spokesperson stated in an announcement to NBC Information.
“This determination provides additional uncertainty to the worldwide economic system and will increase prices for shoppers and companies on each side of the Atlantic,” the spokesperson continued.
The spokesperson added that the EU is “ready to impose countermeasures, together with in response to the war U.S. tariff enhance.”
Trump on Friday introduced that he was doubling tariffs on metal imports to 50% from 25%, growing the strain on producers depending on industrial metals for manufacturing.
The brand new import duties are set to go into effect June 4.
His announcement, made at a rally at U.S. Metal in Pennsylvania, got here after the president signaled earlier this month that he would permitted a controversial deal between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel.
Trump highlighted an “settlement” between Nippon and U.S. Metal in the course of the Friday rally, however stated that the deal was not but closing.
The EU, which stated that it had paused its countermeasures towards the U.S. on April 14 “to permit time and area” for negotiations, stated it’s ready to instate these measures “if no mutually acceptable answer is reached.”
“The European Fee is at present finalizing consultations on expanded countermeasures,” the spokesperson stated. “If no mutually acceptable answer is reached, each present and extra EU measures will mechanically take impact on 14 July — or earlier, if circumstances require.”