Any industry maintain US will have to be in line with ‘respect not threats’, says EU commissioner

The European Union’s industry leader has struck a defiant tone after Donald Trump threatened to position a 50% tariff on all items from the bloc, announcing any doable industry deal between Brussels and Washington will have to be in line with “respect not threats”.

The US president made his announcement after voicing frustration with the tempo of development on a industry settlement with the EU. The new charges would come into impact from 1 June.

The EU industry commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, posted on X after a choice with the USA industry consultant Jamieson Greer and the trade secretary, Howard Lutnick: “The EU’s fully engaged, committed to securing a deal that works for both.

“The European Commission remains ready to work in good faith. EU-US trade is unmatched and must be guided by mutual respect, not threats. We stand ready to defend our interests.”

Trump had posted on Truth Social, the social media site he owns: “The European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of taking advantage of the United States on trade, has been very difficult to deal with.”

He went on to say there was once a $250m annual industry deficit with the EU. “Our discussions with [the EU] are going nowhere,” he mentioned, ahead of including there can be no price lists for merchandise constructed or manufactured in the USA.

Trump later advised newshounds: “I’m not looking for a deal – we’ve set the deal,” ahead of in an instant including that a large funding in the USA by means of a European corporate may make him open to a lengthen.

The EU is without doubt one of the US’s greatest buying and selling companions, sending greater than $600bn (€528bn; £443bn) in items closing 12 months and purchasing $370bn price, US govt figures display.

The US imposed a 20% “reciprocal” fee on maximum EU items from 2 April, however halved them per week later to permit for industry talks. It has saved 25% import taxes on metal, aluminium and automobile portions in position and has threatened identical strikes on prescribed drugs, semiconductors and different items.

In the similar press convention, Trump mentioned he may upload a 25% levy on all Apple and Samsung telephones purchased by means of US shoppers. That can be in position on the finish of June, he mentioned. His feedback prompted falls in main US inventory indexes and European stocks, Associated Press reported.

European politicians mentioned they had been disillusioned by means of the inside track of additional price lists from the USA. The French industry minister, Laurent Saint-Martin, mentioned Trump’s new threats did not anything to assist negotiations.

“We are maintaining the same line: de-escalation, but we are ready to respond,” he wrote on X.

The Italian overseas minister, Antonio Tajani, advised the Ansa information company that the purpose remained “zero-for-zero tariffs”.

Speaking to newshounds in The Hague, the Dutch top minister, Dick Schoof, sponsored the EU’s technique in industry talks and mentioned the EU was once more likely to see this newest announcement as a part of the negotiations. “We have seen before that tariffs can go up and down in talks with the US,” he mentioned.

Micheál Martin, the Irish taoiseach, mentioned Trump’s advice was once “extremely disappointing”. He endured: “I have always been clear in my view that tariffs are damaging to all sides.”

In a observation posted on X, he mentioned: “Tariffs at the level suggested would not only push prices up, they would grievously damage one of the world’s most dynamic and significant trading relationships, as well as disrupting wider global trade.

“We do not need to go down this road. Negotiations are the best and only sustainable way forward.”

The head of the EU’s industry committee, the German MEP Bernd Lange, has threatened to use counter-tariffs towards the USA. “We will not allow ourselves to be pressured and will objectively attempt to begin negotiations next week,” he mentioned in feedback reported by means of the German Die Welt newspaper. “If the negotiations are unsuccessful, the European Union is strong enough to implement countermeasures, such as counter-tariffs, to offset the economic damage.”