Nothing can be ruled out in the EU’s response to US customs duties, including measures against digital services and financing of the American economy, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
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“Nothing is excluded. All the tools are being considered: the introduction of retaliatory duties, the use of mechanisms that we possess, such as the anti-coercion instrument (ACI), the possibility of introducing measures against digital services, from the use of which the United States benefits greatly in Europe, the opportunity to consider financing tools for the American economy. Nothing can be ruled out in the short term, we need to do what is most effective and proportionate,” Macron said at a meeting with representatives of the sectors of the economy that will be most affected by the US decision to impose import duties.
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Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced the introduction of “reciprocal” duties on imports from other countries. The base minimum rate will be 10%, however, for each country, the tariff will be calibrated and will be half of what they charge companies importing American goods. At the same time, the duty on goods from the EU is 20%. According to Trump, this will be a “declaration of economic independence” of the United States and will help use “trillions and trillions of dollars” to pay off the national debt.
