European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described US President Donald Trump's universal tariffs as a major blow to the world economy and said the European Union was prepared to respond with countermeasures if talks with Washington failed, SİA informs via Reuters.
Von der Leyen said the EU was already finalizing a first package of tariffs on up to 26 billion euros ($28.4 billion) of US goods for mid-April in response to US steel and aluminum tariffs that took effect on March 12.
"And we're now preparing for further countermeasures to protect our interests and our businesses if negotiations fail," von der Leyen said in a statement she read out in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Thursday, ahead of an EU-Central Asia partnership summit.
Trump on Wednesday unveiled a 10% minimum tariff on most goods imported to the United States, with a higher 20% rate for the European Union.
Von der Leyen did not provide details of future EU measures.
A French government spokesperson said further measures on a broader range of goods and services would come into force at the end of April. Nothing is yet decided, she added, but services, notably digital services, are likely to be a focus.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said late on Wednesday the EU would strive for a deal with the United States to avoid a trade war, but did not rule out an "adequate" European response.
The nature of that response is likely to be a topic for EU trade ministers when they meet in Luxembourg on Monday.
In a war of tariffs on goods, Brussels has less to hit than Washington, as US goods imports into the EU totaled 334 billion euros ($365.6 billion) in 2024, against 532 billion euros of EU exports to the United States.
The EU would also be reluctant to target US oil and gas exports, which make up nearly a quarter of its US imports, and the 10% share for pharmaceuticals.
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