Tech conference will also mark first visit to Europe for new US vice-president JD Vance

Responding to Trump’s comments on aluminium and steel tariffs overnight, the EU has just said that it had not received any official notification yet, but insisted there was no justification of any such move and it would be ready to respond if needed.

A spokesperson for the European Commission said:

We will not respond to broad announcements without details or written clarification. The EU sees no justification for the imposition of tariffs on its exports. We will react to protect the interests of European businesses, workers and consumers from unjustified measures.

In general: The imposition of tariffs would be unlawful and economically counterproductive, especially given the deeply integrated production chains the EU and U.S. established through transatlantic trade and investment.

Tariffs are essentially taxes. By imposing tariffs, the U.S. would be taxing its own citizens, raising costs for business, and fuelling inflation. Moreover, tariffs heighten economic uncertainty and disrupt the efficiency and integration of global markets.

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Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/feb/10/emmanuel-macron-ai-summit-paris-eu-trump-tariffs-europe-live