【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

On the morning of July 12 local time, US President Trump announced that starting August 1, a 30% tariff rate would be imposed on imports from Mexico and the EU.

According to the EU website, later that day, the President of the European Commission, von der Leyen, issued a statement saying that the US imposing a 30% tariff on EU exports would harm the supply chains, businesses, and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.

"Few economies in the world can match the openness of the EU and its adherence to fair trade practices," von der Leyen said. "The EU has always prioritized resolving issues with the US through negotiations, reflecting our commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership."

Von der Leyen also pointed out that the EU is "ready to continue efforts" to reach an agreement with the US before August 1, "but at the same time, we will take all necessary measures to protect the interests of the EU, including taking appropriate countermeasures when necessary."

She added that the EU will continue to deepen global partnerships based on the principles of rule-based international trade.

Screenshot of von der Leyen's tweet

According to Bloomberg, on the 12th, Trump published on his self-created social media platform "Truth Social" the tariff letters addressed to von der Leyen and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. This week, he has sent tariff letters to more than 20 countries and pressured trade partners to negotiate further.

"For years, we have been discussing our trade relationship with the EU and have concluded that the US must get rid of the long-term, huge, and ongoing trade deficit caused by EU tariffs, non-tariff policies, and trade barriers," Trump wrote to von der Leyen, "Unfortunately, our relationship is far from being mutually beneficial."

Trump announced that starting August 1, the US will impose a 30% tariff on products exported from the EU to the US, and stated that this tariff is independent of all other industry tariffs. If EU companies decide to produce or manufacture products within the US, they will be exempt from tariffs.

Trump also threatened that the EU must provide full market access to the US without imposing retaliatory tariffs. He said, "No matter how much you choose to raise tariffs, we will add the same amount of tariffs on top of the 30%."

In his letter to Mexican President Sheinbaum, Trump said that the tariff barriers were set up to stop fentanyl from entering the US. He wrote, "Mexico has been helping me defend the border, but Mexico hasn't done enough yet."

Trump's letter to von der Leyen on July 12 announcing the imposition of a 30% tariff Social Media

Bloomberg reported that Trump's trade agenda continues to catch allies off guard and injects uncertainty into global financial markets. The EU had originally hoped to reach a preliminary agreement with the US to avoid tariffs, but Trump's letters extinguished their optimism for a last-minute agreement.

Three EU officials told Reuters that Trump's threats represent a negotiation strategy. In his letter to the EU, Trump asked Europe to remove its tariffs on the US, which is clearly a condition for reaching any agreement in the future.

Reuters reported that the EU initially hoped to reach a comprehensive trade agreement with the US, including zero tariffs on industrial goods. However, after months of difficult negotiations, the EU realized that they might have to accept a temporary agreement with a 10% tariff. At the same time, there are internal divisions among the 27 EU countries: on one hand, Germany and others urged to reach an agreement quickly; on the other hand, France and other member states urged the EU not to give in to US demands.

Previously, several media outlets such as Bloomberg and Politico EU had just released news that the EU would make significant concessions in the negotiations with the US, abandoning the plan to tax American digital companies. A EU diplomat recently expressed optimism to Politico EU, stating that they expected not to receive tariff letters similar to those given to Japan and South Korea from Trump before reaching an agreement.

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