The customs duties announced by Donald Trump on Wednesday became effective at 6 a.m. CET on Saturday. These new 10% tariffs apply to a wide range of imported goods into the United States, though country-specific tariffs introduced by the Trump administration will only take effect on April 9. The trade tensions caused by Trump’s policies and China’s retaliatory tariffs have had a significant impact on global markets, resulting in negative performances on major stock exchanges. Regardless, Trump remains unconcerned about the turmoil in the markets.

European leaders and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the UK have criticized the US tariffs and are discussing how to respond to them. In Italy, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani have called for a measured approach to the situation and emphasized the importance of protecting European businesses. They also noted that the tariffs could make it difficult for European countries to meet the recently requested 5% GDP military spending target for NATO members.

Video Editor: Lucy Davalou.

Source: https://www.euronews.com/2025/04/05/us-president-trumps-10-tariffs-come-into-effect-as-european-nations-remain-on-alert