Carlos Cuerpo, Minister of Economy, Trade, and Business, regrets the 30% tariff increase by the US announced by Donald Trump, which Cuerpo describes as "harmful for all".
"We continue to support the Commission in seeking a negotiated solution and defending European interests," the Minister of Economy wrote on his social media account X.
The minister's message came after the response from Ursula von der Leyen to Trump's latest tariff announcement. The President of the European Commission announced on Saturday that Brussels remains willing to continue negotiations with the US to reach an agreement before August 1, although she does not rule out "proportionate" countermeasures to "safeguard" European interests.
The tariffs advanced by Trump in the letter distributed through social media are expected to be applied starting on August 1 and on all European-origin products. This represents a 50% increase from the rates announced in April, tripling the current tariffs (from 10% to all products from the EU, and from 25% on imports of steel, aluminum, and vehicles).
As Trump points out in his message, the tariff policy remains open to negotiations, as the American President stated that he would consider reducing tariffs if the EU offers "full and open access to the US market, without tariffs." However, the US magnate also threatened to increase the 30% rate if the EU were to retaliate, something that the European bloc will have to decide in the coming hours.
Meeting of Ministers in Brussels
The Trade Ministers of the European Union (EU) will meet in the European capital next Monday, in a previously convened extraordinary Council meeting that will now focus on Trump's latest decision.
European ministers were anticipating the possibility of a "principle agreement" between Brussels and Washington over the weekend to avoid a tariff escalation before the negotiation deadline on August 1.
Apart from the agreement, ministers will discuss future trade relations with the US since, as community sources informed the Efe agency this past week, reaching an agreement "probably won't be the end, there will be a lot of uncertainty and twists and turns in the coming weeks and months."