Von der Leyen condemns Trump's universal tariffs and warns of consequences
Statement by President von der Leyen on the announcement of universal tariffs by the US
Samarkand, April 2, 2025
President Trump's announcement of universal tariffs for the entire world, including the EU, is a serious blow to the global economy. I deeply regret this decision. We should be aware of the immense consequences. The global economy will suffer greatly. Uncertainty will increase and protectionism will be further fueled.
The consequences will be severe for millions of people around the globe. This also applies to the most vulnerable countries, which are now subject to some of the highest US tariffs. This is the opposite of what we want to achieve. The tariffs will also harm consumers around the world.
This will be noticeable immediately. Millions of people will be faced with higher food bills. Medicines will become more expensive, as will transportation. Inflation will rise. And this will hurt the most economically vulnerable citizens the most.
Companies—both large and small—will also suffer from day one. They will suffer from greater uncertainty, broken supply chains, and cumbersome bureaucracy. The cost of doing business with the United States will rise dramatically. And what's more, there seems to be no order in this disorder.
There is no clear path through the complexity and chaos that will be created, as all of the United States' trading partners will be affected. Over the past eighty years, trade between Europe and the United States has created millions of jobs. Consumers on the other side of the Atlantic have benefited from lower prices.
Companies have benefited from enormous opportunities that have led to unprecedented prosperity and growth. At the same time, we know that global trading systems have significant flaws. Here, I agree with President Trump that others are taking unfair advantage of the current rules. And I am prepared to support all efforts to adapt the global trading system to the realities of the global economy.
But I would also like to make something very clear:
Imposing tariffs as a first and last resort will not solve the problem. That is why we were prepared from the outset to negotiate with the US to remove all remaining barriers to transatlantic trade. But at the same time, we are also prepared to respond.
We are already working on finalizing a first package of countermeasures in response to the punitive tariffs. And we are now preparing to take further countermeasures to protect our interests and our companies if the negotiations fail. We will also closely monitor the indirect effects these tariffs could have, because we cannot absorb global overcapacity, nor will we tolerate dumping on our market.
As Europeans, we will always defend our interests and our values. And we will always stand up for Europe. But there is also an alternative path. It is not too late to address concerns through negotiations. That is why our Trade Commissioner Maros Šefčovič is in constant contact with his US counterpart.
We will work toward removing trade barriers. Not to increase them, but to reduce them.
Let us move from confrontation to negotiation. That is the right way forward. Finally, I would also like to address the people of Europe directly. I know how disappointed many of you are that one of our oldest allies is turning away from us. Yes, it is true that we must prepare for the consequences that this decision will inevitably have.
But Europe has everything it needs to weather this storm. We will get through this together. When one of us is affected – and this has always been the principle in Europe – we all stand up for each other. So we will stick together. We will stand up for each other. Because we know that in Europe, unity is our great strength. Europe has the largest single market in the world – 450 million consumers – and that is our safe haven in stormy times.
And Europe will stand by those who are directly affected: the people and the companies. We have already announced new measures to support the steel and automotive sectors. Last week, for example, we limited the amount of steel that can be imported into Europe duty-free. This will give these strategic industries more breathing space.
And we will now convene our Strategic Dialogue with the steel sector, the automotive industry, and the pharmaceutical sector. Other Strategic Dialogues will follow in order to find solutions together. Europe stands together, for its people, for its businesses, for all Europeans.
Thank you very much.
Von der Leyen
EU statement April 2, 2025
Ursula von der Leyen responded to the following statement by Donald Trump.
The full statement from the US government dated April 2, 2025, is attached as a PDF file:
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