US President Donald Trump said his ambition to increase customs duties on European products “very soon” to 25 %. Several activity sectors are concerned.
Donald Trump should make his threats. This Wednesday, February 26, the American president announced that European products were going to be “soon” of 25 % customs duties on the occasion of the first meeting of his office in the White House. An announcement that comes just two days after Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Washington.
Asked about the subject, Donald Trump also said that theEuropean Union was “designed to piss the United States. This was the goal and they got there. “That is why, the latter decided to counter-attack and will surely do not do in lace.” The EU was very unfair with us, we have a trade deficit of $ 350 billion, they do not buy our cars, our agricultural products, they buy almost nothing, we have to rectify this “, he said. European Commission, on property only.
The president of the first world power is aware that European countries could now be tempted by reprisal measures, but “they will not,” he tempers. “They can try to do it, but the effects will never be the same, because we can leave. We are the abundance horn, what everyone wants and they can try reprisals, but it will not work (…) It is enough that we do not buy anything, and if that is what happens, we win,” he says.
“The United States today is no longer our allies”
For its part, the EU assured that it will react “firmly and immediately” by the voice of the European Commission.“The EU will always protect European companies, workers and consumers against unjustified customs duties,” she said in a press release. On February 3, Emmanuel Macron had already spoke on the subject. If Europe is “attacked”, it “will have to be respected”, assured the President of the Republic from Brussels, during a meeting according to information from AFP. “The recent statements in the United States are pushing Europe to be stronger and more united,” he said.
According to the Euro-deputy Renew Pascal Canfin, a considerable increase in customs duties does not simply take “a political issue”, but also “of course a geopolitical issue”, especially in the current context. This is why, you should know how to “be respected” by the United States, he explains at France Inter. The Group’s delegated secretary general Renaissance Valérie Hayer calls for “firmly” reacting after Donald Trump’s announcement on customs duties. “The United States today is no longer our allies,” she said on France Info on Wednesday evening.
Aeronautics, luxury, steel, aluminum …
In the columns ofEurope 1Sylvain Bersinger, economist at Asteres said in early February that the main threat currently weighing on France concerns the aeronautical sector: “in the United States, many aircraft parts are sold.” Also, “for the entire luxury and cosmetics sector, the main export market is the United States”. This is why a significant increase in taxes could be detrimental to France. In 2023, France pocked the tidy sum of $ 90 billion thanks to its exports to the United States.
“Wines and spirits, pharmacy and chemistry also export to the United States,” he continues. Please note, it is also important to recall that the United States represents less than 10 % of the total French exports abroad. This could give an advantage to Emmanuel Macron in his showdown potential with Donald Trump.
The President of the United States Donald Trump also clearly mentioned two other sectors: the automobile and agriculture in the broad sense of the term. Two sectors which could therefore be heavily taxed “very soon” in the words of the former real estate magnet. Other products whose composition is based on aluminum or steel are also greatly threatened by the wishes of Donald Trump on European exports: a decree signed on February 10 and entering into force on March 12 has already been signed by the American president.