French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced that the European Union will retaliate against the 25% tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum imports.
The EU will implement countermeasures in response to US President Donald Trump’s decision to increase tariffs on metal imports, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
This follows Trump’s announcement of a 25% levy on all imported steel and aluminum, in addition to existing duties.
“We will not hesitate to defend our interests,” Barrot stated in a Monday interview with TF1, describing Trump’s Sunday announcement as unsurprising.
“This is precisely what Donald Trump did in 2018, and we responded then,” he added, referencing the tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term. “We will respond similarly this time.”
Barrot reiterated the substantial number of US imports previously targeted by EU retaliatory measures, citing examples such as “motorcycles, jeans, tobacco, corn, rice, orange juice, and bourbon.”
The European Commission, the minister confirmed, will “identify the sectors affected by countermeasures in due course,” emphasizing that “the time for action is now.”
Since 2018, Washington and Brussels have been engaged in a significant trade dispute stemming from Trump’s imposition of 25% tariffs on European steel and 10% on aluminum, citing national security concerns. The EU responded with retaliatory tariffs on products including Harley-Davidson motorcycles and Levi Strauss & Co. jeans. Trump further escalated tensions with threatened tariffs on EU car exports, though these were never enacted.
Trump’s recent tariff actions also included 25% levies on all imports from Mexico and Canada, and 10% on imports from China, citing concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking. These levies were temporarily postponed for 30 days following negotiations with Mexican and Canadian leaders who committed to strengthening border security. Last week, Trump also suspended a key component of tariffs on China, maintaining the duty-free status of small-value packages after his tariff actions disrupted deliveries.