The leader of the European People's Party (EPP) and its parliamentary group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, said that the EU should not be afraid of a confrontation with Washington on trade issues after Trump announced tariffs.
The EU is ready for a deal, but on equal terms. April 2 was a dark day and, of course, a huge mistake for Trump“, said Weber.
"We need to conclude an agreement with Mercosur, that is, with South America, and reach a trade agreement with India. These new trade agreements are anti-Trump", said the EPP leader. At the same time, Weber warned against strengthening the EU's cooperation with China. "This is certainly not a model for the future for us, and China should not and cannot replace the United States as the leading power in world trade," he said.
On April 2, Trump announced the introduction of tariffs on products from 185 countries and territories. The universal tariffs of 10% will take effect on April 5, individual tariffs on April 9. In addition, the US administration introduced a 25% tariff on all imported cars from April 3. Trump declared a state of emergency in the country due to the economic situation.