European Union member states are considering a range of retaliatory options in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat, including imposing tariffs on up to 93 billion euros ($108 billion) worth of American goods, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.
EU ambassadors met in Brussels on Sunday night to coordinate a joint response after Trump announced plans to impose 10% tariffs on imports from eight European countries starting February 1, linking the move to their opposition to US control of Greenland.
According to the report, one of the options being considered is the activation of the bloc’s anti-coercion tool, a trade protection mechanism designed to counter economic pressure from foreign governments. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested on Sunday that the EU should consider using the tool.
Retaliatory tariffs back on the table
The EU approved retaliatory tariffs on 93 billion euros on US products last year, but suspended them after Washington and Brussels reached a trade pact. European lawmakers said they may now delay ratifying the deal in light of Trump’s latest threat of tariffs, Bloomberg reported.
European allies are pushing back
The eight European countries targeted by the proposed US tariffs issued a joint statement on Sunday condemning the move, warning it could undermine transatlantic relations and trigger a wider escalation.
The countries said Trump’s threat risked a “dangerous downward spiral” – a potential turning point in tensions between Washington and some of its closest allies over sovereignty, security and trade.
We stand in solidarity with Denmark and Greenland
European and Nordic nations reaffirmed their support for Denmark and Greenland, emphasizing sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“We stand in full solidarity with the Kingdom of Denmark and the people of Greenland,” the statement said. “Following the process launched last week, we stand ready to engage in dialogue based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we firmly stand behind. Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral.”
Trump’s announcement on Saturday appeared aimed at using the tariffs as leverage to force discussions on Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, which he considers strategically important to US national security.
EU and NATO leaders warn of division
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has warned that China and Russia could benefit from a split between the US and Europe. “If Greenland’s security is at risk, we can deal with it within NATO. Tariffs make Europe and the United States poorer and undermine our shared prosperity,” she said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed he spoke with Trump and emphasized continued diplomacy. “We will continue to do so and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week,” Rutte said.
Read also | Trump’s tariffs: Germany calls for a united response of European countries to the US
The leaders of the UK, Denmark and the EU are turning away
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also spoke to Trump, with a Downing Street spokesman saying Starmer told the president: “Applying tariffs to allies to promote the collective security of NATO allies is wrong. The call followed consultations with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.”
Italy expresses concern
Even Trump’s European allies criticized the plan. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, considered one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe, said she had spoken to him about the tariffs, calling them a “mistake”. Meloni clarified that the deployment of European troops in Greenland was to ensure security against “other actors” and was not directed at the United States.
Read also | Nobel Peace Prize Remains Laureate, Foundation Says Amid Machado-Trump Dispute