Europe hopes for tariffs on Trump but prepares for the worst

Europe’s leaders were preparing for Trump’s “Trade War” – but the reality of 20% of the US tariffs still became a shock.

“This decision is a disaster for the economic world,” said French Prime Minister François Bayru.

“The consequences will be terrible for millions of people around the world,” said EU Head of the EU Commission Ursul von der Leyen, who was on a trip to Central Asia.

A message from the EU, which has the task of answering on behalf of its 27 member states, is that Europe is ready to negotiate with the US, but at the same time is ready to repel.

EU Trade Commissioner Moros Sefkovich seeks to talk to tariffs with his American colleagues on Friday.

“We will act calmly, carefully, in stages, the only way when we calibrate our answer, allowing time for negotiations,” he said.

For each European country, President Donald Trump’s tariffs will be a serious blow, and national governments are trying to mitigate the fears of industry and trade.

Italian Georgia Meloni – which by Wednesday seemed more reluctant than others, from the US – released its diary and hastily summoned ministers and business executives at the emergency summit.

Italy exports 1.6 billion euros (1.35 billion pounds), and Wine by 2 billion euros wine to the USA, Alessandra Apalite from Coldireti farmers, BBC reported.

In addition to economic losses, he says there is a risk that US consumers will turn to imitation by grasping a market share, which will otherwise go to real Italian products.

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez rejected Trump’s statement that the EU imposed 39% of US goods, insisting in fact it was only 3%.

“This is just a reason to punish the countries and the introduction of sterile protectionism. The trade war will affect everyone, but it will hit it most,” he warned.

The Spanish Trade House fears export reduction to the US, especially in machines and electrical equipment. Sánchez has announced a response to 14.1 billion euros to help business with finances and look for new markets outside the United States.

Slovakia is more subjected to most EU countries, due to its great dependence on industrial exports, and some economists warn of a deep decline in economic production at least 2.5% in two years.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned about the potential 0.4% this year.

Even before the proclamation of Trump, the French government has revised the expected growth this year to 0.7%.

In particular, the French wine and alcoholic beverage sector is likely to be injured. The head of one of the main wine organizations, Jérôme Bauer, warned of a pure loss of € 1 billion (835 million pounds) in France’s wine industry.

Italy’s winemakers also kept breathing.

“We have stopped exports for almost two weeks. Everything is paralyzed because customers do not place orders, and importers do not import,” – says Stefan Leon from Marcia Antinori, a winery in Tuscany with more than six centuries.

The US accounts for 12 – 13% of the total sales, and Leone says the company is in a state.

“We expect to understand what decisions it is necessary to make, depending on any countermetrus that the European Union can decide in response to the US. We hope there will be some form of negotiations and will lead to a specific result.”

The feelings on the markets of Europe were gloomy because investors sold shares that are considered the most vulnerable to Trump tariffs. One of the major German companies, Adidas, saw that 12% of its value was destroyed by the stock market.

Small companies as well as big will get.

“This is the first year when we started exporting to the United States and tariffs affect us even more directly,” says Rock Manjaratsin, who is leading a small family business, producing 20,000 bottles of olive oil a year in Sicily.

“Only a week ago we sent the first 900 bottles to the American market.”

The French Government’s press -secretary Sophie Prima said that “we are ready for this trade war,” but added that “(European) union should be strong, it must be united for this.”

Europe’s largest economy, Germany, quickly caused an “unprecedented attack on the international trading system, free trade and global supply networks.”

But Germany still expects the chancellor waiting for Friedrich Merzz the government, so acting Chancellor Olaf Scholtz to note that “the strongest domestic market in the world with 450 million consumers” gave the power of Europe.

So, how will the EU react and can it remain the only one?

He had already outlined a measured answer.

From mid -April, the first EU tariff package is up to 26 billion euros. EUR will be scooped on US goods, paying 25% of the US export tariffs and aluminum, which have already been announced in March. They were returned to give a place for a negotiation decision. When they go forward, they will cover a wide range of agricultural, food and textiles.

Currently, discussions about an even bigger countermelum package are underway to come in late April.

According to von der Leen, Europe “holds a lot of cards”. Further measures will not only include goods in the United States but also its digital services.

According to Brussels, Trump complains about the US trading deficit with the EU, but the US services have 109 billion euros, Brussels reports.

If the EU decides to impose tariffs or restrictions on large technological services or restrict access to government contracts, it can use what some have labeled their “big Bazuka” – more Brit is known as a tool against a piece (ACI).

This will require the support of most EU member states, but it is a powerful weapon when Europe’s business is threatened.

Peter Digen, the head of the geopolitics at the Danish Council, said the BBC that Trump “threw a hand grenade in front of global trade, creating great uncertainty.”

He said the US tariffs would be affected by the smallest companies exported to the United States. While the EU was supposed to respond proportionally, he said he should continue the negotiations to avoid a deeper trading war.

While most European leaders quickly condemned the US tariffs, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Shijarta laid guilty at the EU’s legs. Hungary leader, Victor Orban, is widely regarded as Trump’s largest ally in Europe.

“It has been proven again that incompetent people are conducting European institutions in Brussels, which also suffer from a very serious Trump-phobia,” Shiarta said.

Despite the fact that Norway is not the EU -member state, Prime Minister Jonas Hahr said the US decision to bring a 15% tariff was a “bad news” that would have consequences for many Norwegian companies and jobs.

Norway, first and foremost, is the exporter and Minister of Finance Jens Stoltenberg, fearing that it could be affected by “triple contraction”. Not only Trump’s tariffs and smaller growth, but also EU counteracting.

It can be a trade war with numerous casualties.

Additional Julia reporting in Rome.