Von der Leyen: ‘Trump’s halt on tariffs is important, we suspend ours for 90 days’

Brussels – Ursula von der Leyen is happy with the suspension of tariffs decided by Donald Trump, and has opted for a three-month suspension of European counter-tariffs. ‘We want to give negotiations a chance,’ the President of the European Commission emphasises. Therefore, ‘while we finalise the adoption of the counter-measures of the EU, which have obtained strong support from our Member States, we will suspend them for 90 days’. This choice, however, does not stop the work of diversifying commercial partners, because in any case confidence in the US partner has now faded, even if there is certainly a desire to continue negotiating with Washington.

However, von der Leyen warned, ‘if the negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will come into effect’. Dialogue, yes, but no blank cheque. ‘Preparatory work for further countermeasures is continuing’, and in this turbulent context ‘all options remain on the table’, continued the President of the EU executive. This means that the good news is still being received with due caution.

Also because the choices made on the other side of the Atlantic don’t seem very clear. Last night’s message from the US president seems to refer to the ‘reciprocal’ tariffs imposed on 2nd April and not to the tariffs imposed by the US in general, such as those on aluminium and steel.

“I welcome President Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs. It’s an important step towards stabilizing the global economy,”  the European Commission president said in a note. According to von der Leyen, “Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function.”

“Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers. That’s why I’ve consistently advocated for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the European Union and the United States,” the European leader reiterated. “The European Union remains committed to constructive negotiations with the United States, with the goal of achieving frictionless and mutually beneficial trade.”

However, the world is no longer the same, relationships have been disrupted, and so “At the same time, Europe continues to focus on diversifying its trade partnerships, engaging with countries that account for 87% of global trade and share our commitment to a free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas.,” von der Leyen said.

Then, the message within the Union: “We are stepping up our work to lift barriers in our own single market. This crisis has made one thing clear: in times of uncertainty, the single market is our anchor of stability and resilience.”

And finally, the words for citizens: “My team and I will continue to work day and night to protect European consumers, workers, and businesses. Together, Europeans will emerge stronger from this crisis.”