As US tariffs on EU exports escalate, Europe scrambles for a unified response. Trade ministers met in Luxembourg to chart the way forward — and the stakes are high.
It might have been good intuition or simply the inevitable outcome of escalating rhetoric from across the Atlantic, but theEuropean Union’s trade ministers chose to move up their extraordinary Council meeting. Instead of waiting until May, they convened this Monday in Luxembourg, marking their first political gathering since US President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs salvo.
One message was clear from the start: Europe will respond with both unity and determination. French minister delegate for trade Laurent Saint-Martin criticized the US tariffs as “very aggressive and arbitrary,” adding that France “prefers cooperation to confrontation.”
Meanwhile, Germany’s outgoing Economic Minister Robert Habeck underscored the need for European solidarity, emphasizing that only through cooperation would the EU stand a chance of overcoming the growing trade tensions.
The stakes of these discussions were high — and the objectives even higher. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic framed the moment as a critical juncture in global trade, asserting that Europe must now recalibrate its position to navigate what he called a paradigm shift in international commerce.
What happened?
Last week, the EU faced a major blow as the US unveiled its third round of tariffs — set to be the largest yet. Nearly all goods exported from the EU to the US will be subject to a 20% levy, announced by President Donald Trump. This move follows the imposition of 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, as well as a similar 25% tariff on car exports that have already come into effect.
The potential fallout is significant. These new tariffs will impact around 70% of all EU exports to the US, valued at €532 billion ($585 billion) in 2024. Trump has defended the measures, pointing to Europe’s substantial trade surplus with the US, which reached $235.6 billion (€215.5 billion) in 2024, according to US government figures.
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