Brussels, April 8, 2025 – The Europe Today: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed Brussels’ readiness to negotiate a new agreement on tariffs with the United States, following the announcement of a 20% tariff on EU goods set to take effect this Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, von der Leyen confirmed that the European Union has offered a “zero-for-zero” tariff deal for industrial goods, stating, “Europe is always ready for a good deal, so we keep it on the table.” This proposal came after a meeting of EU trade ministers in Luxembourg, where the decision was made to prioritize negotiations with Washington rather than escalate into a trade war.
While Brussels remains hopeful for a resolution, von der Leyen also hinted at the EU’s preparedness for countermeasures if the negotiations fail. “We are also prepared to respond through countermeasures and defend our interests,” she said, underscoring the EU’s intent to protect itself from “indirect effects through trade diversion.”
Her statements were echoed by Maros Sefcovic, EU Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, who reiterated the EU’s readiness to engage in negotiations with the US while continuing to work on countermeasures.
The latest tariff conflict follows the Trump administration’s 25% tariffs on EU steel and aluminum, which President Donald Trump justified by claiming they targeted countries imposing high barriers to US goods. Last week, the US expanded its tariff measures to include more than 200 countries, accusing them of unfair trade practices.
Despite these actions, Trump expressed on social media that the tariffs were benefiting the US economy and reiterated his dissatisfaction with the EU’s offers. He criticized the bloc’s concessions as insufficient, claiming that “it’s not only tariffs, it’s not monetary tariffs,” but also “rules and regulations” that hinder the sale of US products in European markets.
The ongoing trade dispute between the US and the EU reflects the larger tensions between the two economic giants over trade practices and market access.
