He says that his reaction to US tariffs will be “firm and immediate”

The European Union (EU) said Friday that he will react “firmly and immediately“Against the”reciprocal tariffs”Announced by the president of the United States, Donald Trumpto countries that tax American products, considering them “unjustified” and “A step in the evil direction ”.

“The EU will react firmly and immediately against unjustified barriers to free and fair trade, even when tariffs are used to question legal and non -discriminatory policies. The EU will always protect companies, workers and European consumers against unjustified tariff measures”The European Commission (CE) said in a statement.

The community executive stressed that it considers that commercial policy “reciprocal“Proposed by Trump is”A step in the wrong address”, And said the EU It is still committed to an open and predictable world commercial system that benefits all partners.

Trump He signed on Thursday a memorandum to impose “reciprocal tariffs“To countries that tax US products, with the aim of equalizing the rates that these nations apply to the exports of the United States, and with the European Union Among the main victims.

The new tariffs will not immediately take effect, but within a period of “weeks” either “months”, And the first to be punished will be those with which the United States has a higher commercial deficit, according to a senior US official before the signing of the memorandum.

The commission recalled for its part that the EU maintains “Some of the lowest tariffs in the world“And he emphasized that”does not see any justification to increase American tariffs on their exports”

“Tariffs are taxes. By imposing tariffs, USA”, He said, he added that the tariffs”Economic uncertainty increase and disturb the efficiency and integration of world markets”

In his opinion, world trade has prospered with foreseeable and transparent standards and low tariffs.

He pointed out that, for decades, the EU He has worked with commercial partners such as the United States to reduce tariffs and other commercial barriers worldwide, reinforcing this opening through binding commitments in the commercial -based commercial system, “commitments that the United States is undermining now ”considered.

Brussels also assured that the EU is “One of the most open economies in the world“, With more than 70 % of imports with zero tariff, while the average tariff that applies to imported goods”It is still one of the lowest in the world”

“Economic integration and the elimination of commercial barriers have been fundamental for the success of the European Union”, He concluded.

Thus, the Commission stressed that it believes in commercial associations “mutually beneficial and balanced, based on transparency and equity”, Which is why the EU has the largest network of commercial agreements in the world and the one that grows faster.

Finally alluded to the EU He has negotiated and concluded more than triple commercial agreements than the United States.

The first step for the United States to apply the announced tariffs will be the elaboration, within 180 days, of a report on the whole fiscal impact that must be delivered to the President, as stated in the memorandum.

The document signed by Trump It focuses on two aspects that, according to him, have generated a deal “unfair“For the United States in international trade: tariffs imposed by other countries to US exports and calls”Non -tariff barriers. ”