Macron: Strongly opposes the US imposing a 30% tariff on the EU

French President Macron posted on social media on the 12th that France and the European Commission strongly oppose the US announcement that the 30% tariff on EU exports will be imposed from August 1st.

Macron wrote that in the context of EU unity, the European Commission should demonstrate the EU’s determination to defend its own interests. If Europe and the United States cannot reach an agreement before August 1st, the EU should mobilize all tools, including anti-coercion mechanisms, to accelerate the preparation of “credible countermeasures.” France supports the European Commission and the United States to step up negotiations in order to reach an agreement acceptable to both sides before August 1st.

US President Trump announced on the 12th that a 30% tariff will be imposed on EU and Mexican exports to the United States from August 1st. Trump claimed that the EU’s tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers have led to a huge trade deficit between the United States and Europe, and the relationship between the two sides is “far from mutually beneficial.”

European Commission President von der Leyen said that the US’s 30% tariff on EU exports will disrupt important transatlantic supply chains and harm the interests of businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. The EU will take all necessary measures to safeguard its own interests, including reciprocal countermeasures when necessary. The EU has always sought to resolve the issue through negotiations with the United States and is still prepared to continue working to reach an agreement before August 1. At the same time, the EU will continue to deepen global partnerships and firmly safeguard the rules-based international trade system.