Tariff row: Trump threatens Europe with 30 percent
A new round in the tariff dispute: US President Trump has announced 30-percent tariffs on goods from the EU and Mexico as of 1 August. The EU Commission is pinning its hopes on the ongoing negotiations - the introduction of counter-tariffs on US goods, which was originally scheduled for today, has been postponed until the end of the month. Commentators take a closer look at Trump's strategy and Europe's resilience.
Counter bluffs with unity
Europe can and must continue to stand united against Trump, La Libre Belgique demands:
“Trump is bluffing. And he's bluffing badly. ... In response, the EU Commission is managing to speak with one voice. And that is precisely where the real challenge lies: in continuing to respond to brutality with unity. ... The EU's weapon is not escalation. It is consistency. ... Trump believes that everything can be negotiated with threats, and that a continent will buckle under pressure. But Europe knows that you don't secure deals through arbitrary behaviour. It is organising itself. It is putting up resistance.”
Hopefully no one will kowtow
Trump's real objective is to divide the EU, fears Corriere della Sera:
“Everything indicates that Trump is counting on those countries on our continent that are under pressure from their economies and their pro-Russian oppositions to go to him, each in their own name, and ask for preferential treatment. Which they may well get - so that they can be held up as examples of submission. And upset the other European countries that have stuck together so far. It is precisely this cohesion that is to be broken.”
Remove internal obstacles
The journalist platform Info.cz says Europe can compensate for US tariff barriers by increasing its internal economic efficiency:
“Europeans are also well aware that their highest volumes of trade are among the EU member states themselves. Last year's Draghi report showed how much the European economy would benefit from removing the barriers that still hinder the free movement of goods, services and capital within the EU-27. A significant shift on this front would be the best response to Trump's trade policy pressure.”