The European Commission has announced a response to the recent tariffs imposed by the United States on steel and aluminum imports, which are set at 25%.

This decision comes just before the Irish Prime Minister, Micheál Martin, is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump in Washington, raising concerns about the impact on trade relations between the EU and the US.

Bernd Lange, the head of the EU Parliament’s Trade Committee, criticized the US tariffs as "crazy" and "not at all economically useful and rational." Lange argued that the US rationale for these tariffs, citing national security, is unfounded, particularly as they impact everyday products such as car bumpers and fitness devices.

He anticipates that further US tariffs may be introduced on April 2, 2025, aligning with Trump's previous claims of reciprocal actions.

The US has a long-standing trade deficit with the EU, particularly in goods, which reached €50 billion in 2024. The EU's overall trade surplus with the US expanded to €198.2 billion during the same period, with a marked increase in EU exports and a decrease in imports.

In response to the new US duties, the EU is implementing countermeasures that will affect US goods valued at up to €26 billion.

These measures, which include a two-step approach, aim to correspond with the economic scope of the US tariffs.

The first phase will see the suspension of existing countermeasures lapse on April 1, while the second phase will put in place new retaliatory tariffs by mid-April.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, expressed regret over the US decision, categorizing it as unjustified and detrimental to businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

The countermeasures will target a range of US exports, including steel, aluminum, leather goods, textiles, and certain agricultural products such as poultry and beef.

In a related development, President Trump recently announced a doubling of tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%, attributing this increase to Canada’s 25% tariff on electricity exported to the US. Trump has indicated he may also impose higher tariffs on cars imported from Canada if disputes over dairy tariffs are not resolved.

The backdrop to these increasing tariffs involves heightened geopolitical tensions and trade disparities, with EU officials maintaining that they remain open to negotiations to resolve these disputes amicably.

As transatlantic trade relations continue to evolve in the face of these new tariffs, economic uncertainties loom over businesses and consumers in both regions.