The EU base and US new vice president JD Vance sat down together in connection with this week’s grand meeting on AI issues in Paris.
Despite the threat of trade war, they held a positive tone.
-The Trump administration has been very clear that we care a lot about Europe. We see a lot of financial relationships that we can build on with Europe. We also want to make sure that we get involved in a security partnership that is good for both Europe and the US, Viscence said in some short public comments before the meeting.
“Thanks for a good discussion about the challenges we share as allies,” in turn, von der Leyen greeted afterwards via X – without going into whether and how they had also talked about customs.
“Customs are taxes”
The meeting then took place both von der Leyen and her trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic promised European response to the steel tariffs that Trump announced on Monday.
– We are currently reviewing what has been announced tonight and will respond with determined and proportionate countermeasures. We will protect our workers, our companies and our consumers, said Sefcovic in a speech in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
The EU describes the US actions as a loss for both sides.
– We deeply regret these decisions and messages (from Trump). By introducing tariffs, the United States will tax its own citizens, increase the cost of its own companies and increase inflation, Seafcovic said.
“Customs are taxes: Bad for companies, even worse for consumers,” in turn wrote von der Leyen in a press release.
No details
Exact details about how the EU intends to respond have not yet been presented and, according to the European Commission, will not come until “the opportunity is right”. Among other things, the concrete decisions are still being awaited from the United States.
“We say nothing today,” said Olof Gill, the Commission spokesperson on trade issues at a press conference in Brussels.
EU member states are expected to discuss the situation in a digital meeting on Wednesday. According to Olof Gill, the Commission is in “constant contact” with the countries – although he also emphasized that it is the EU, not the governments of the countries that hold the issue.
“The member states cannot negotiate on their own,” said Gill.