The European Union will respond ‘before the end of April’ to the new customs duties imposed by the United States that President Donald Trump is expected to announce Wednesday evening, said French government spokesperson Sophie Primas on Wednesday.
“There will be two responses. The first, which will be in the middle of April, is a response to the customs duties already decided (by the US) on steel and aluminum (…) Then, a precise study will be conducted for each sector of activity, and a European decision should be announced before the end of April in a concerted, united, and strong manner by the EU,” explained the representative of the French government, following a meeting, according to AFP, quoted by Agerpres.
“The activities are underway to see which sectors will lead this response,” she added, specifying that French President Emmanuel Macron plans to discuss this issue with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday afternoon.
“We must be very careful in choosing these sectors of activity and at the same time very united, as the United States will clearly try to divide us and find points of disagreement between European countries,” said the same spokesperson.
The whole world is waiting for Donald Trump’s decision regarding these new customs duties that the US will impose, and which the White House leader is expected to announce on Wednesday at 8pm (11pm Romanian time). When asked in Brussels about the statements made by the French government spokesperson, the spokesperson for the European Commission for trade, Olof Gill, expressed the institution’s dissatisfaction with Paris’ gesture. “France does not speak on behalf of the European Union when it comes to trade policy. We are the ones who do this,” said the European spokesperson. In turn, the spokesperson for the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, Paula Pinho, stated that she is “in contact with EU leaders on this important subject” in order to formulate “a coordinated response to which different European leaders will contribute.” The administration of US President Donald Trump has already imposed a 25% customs duty on all imports of steel and aluminum, and announced last Wednesday a 25% customs duty on auto imports.