- Source: CCTV News Client
- Author: Wei Shaopu
- Time: 2025-04-08
- Visits: 57
On April 7 local time, the trade ministers of the 27 member states of the European Union held a meeting in Luxembourg to discuss the impact of the tariffs imposed by the United States and exchange views on countermeasures. This is the first EU-wide political meeting since the United States announced the imposition of "reciprocal tariffs".
Germany: The US tariff calculation is nonsense
On April 7 local time, Robert Habeck, the Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs of Germany, stated when attending the EU Trade Ministers' Meeting that the US tariff calculation is nonsense. Countermeasures will cause harm, but there is no other choice.
Habeck also said that European countries cannot solve this problem alone.
France: The EU's counterattack against the US may be "extremely fierce"
Laurent Saint-Martin, the French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, warned in Luxembourg that the EU's response to the new US tariff policy may be "extremely fierce".
He emphasized: "Whether it is targeting US goods or services, we cannot rule out any options. We can open the EU's toolbox, which is very comprehensive, and our counterattack can also be very fierce." He also proposed allowing the freezing of the US's access to the European public market or blocking its investment.
Earlier on the same day, Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and former French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, also revealed to French media that the EU is considering taking measures to restrict US companies' participation in EU public procurement projects as a response to the new US tariff policy.
The Netherlands: Stay calm and prepare countermeasures at the same time
Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, said when attending the meeting that the EU needs to respond to the US tariffs calmly while preparing to take countermeasures.
Spain: Must support industries severely affected by tariffs
Carlos Urquijo, the Spanish Minister of Economy, Trade and Business who attended the meeting, said that the EU must provide support to the enterprises and industries that may be affected by the tariff policy of the Trump administration. Spain hopes to promote an EU-wide emergency plan to support the industries most severely affected by the tariff policy of the Trump administration.
Europe is brewing multiple countermeasures to deal with the US "reciprocal tariffs"
Recently, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order announcing the imposition of so-called "reciprocal tariffs" on all trading partners, among which a 20% tariff will be imposed on products from the EU. The EU and European countries have strongly opposed this, stating that they will take countermeasures in response if necessary.
All sectors in Europe have pointed out that the US tariff policy has undermined the global trade order, disrupted the supply chain, become the main source of risk for the instability of the world economy, and also cast a shadow over the economic recovery in Europe. (Reporters from China Media Group: Zhu Xili, Zhu Xuesong, Ma Jinjin)
Editor in charge: Wei Shaopu