European Union leaders are set to convene an emergency meeting in the coming days to address President Donald Trump’s recent tariff threat. The leaders are expected to meet in person towards the end of this week, according to an EU official. Discussions among member states are centring on potential retaliatory measures, including the imposition of levies on approximately €93 billion ($US108 billion) worth of US goods.
EU ambassadors convened in Brussels on Sunday evening to formulate a unified response to Trump’s announcement of a 10% tariff on eight European countries, effective February 1, in relation to their activities in Greenland. Following the meeting, European Council President Antonio Costa stated via social media that member states had agreed to maintain solidarity with Greenland and Denmark, deeming Trump’s new tariffs incompatible with the EU-US trade agreement.
Other options under consideration include employing the anti-coercion instrument, a tool designed to counter coercive economic policies. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested the bloc consider this option, although France previously hesitated to use it following Trump’s threats of retaliation. Last year, the EU approved retaliatory tariffs on €93 billion of US products but suspended their implementation after reaching a trade agreement with the US. However, European lawmakers have indicated they may withhold approval of that trade pact in light of Trump’s latest actions.
