Donald Trump’s new threat to Europe is not only about the withdrawal of American troops from NATO countries. On Friday, the US president indeed relaunched, with a blunt message on social media, the issue of tariffs. According to Trump, tariffs would be imposed starting next week on European cars and trucks, setting them at 25%. The reason? The EU would not respect an alleged agreement related to the joint declaration referring to the “standard legislative practice”.
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Trump increases tariffs on EU cars
However, the move comes in an already delicate context and risks hitting a particularly exposed sector: the European automotive industry. The economic repercussions, also for Italy, are considered very high. Especially given a US market that represents an important destination for the export of transport vehicles. Moreover, the road transport sector is already under stress due to rising costs, particularly those related to fuel: the new tariffs could therefore amplify the difficulties, reducing companies’ competitiveness and impacting volumes and margins.
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Brussels’ reaction
Faced with the threat, Brussels has responded in a firmer tone than in the past. The EU claims respect for the commitments made and announces the possibility of actions to protect European interests should the US adopt non-compliant measures. Politically, the dossier could instead become central in the talks of European leaders on the sidelines of the EU Political Community summit, with the aim of waiting for the threat to materialize and then calibrating the response. Meanwhile, the path of dialogue is still kept open through the activation of the EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
