[By Guancha Observer Network, Qi Qian] Local time on April 1, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a speech at the European Parliament and made bold remarks about the US tariff threat. She vowed to implement "strong retaliation" against the 25% car tariffs and "reciprocal tariffs" that are about to take effect in the United States, including striking back at American large technology companies and other service exports. At the same time, the EU will negotiate with the US from a "position of strength".

According to the press release published on the EU's official website, during her speech that day, von der Leyen focused primarily on the issue of US tariffs.

"Let me make one thing clear: this confrontation was not initiated by Europe. We believe it is wrong." Von der Leyen came straight to the point, emphasizing that as the largest single market in the world, the EU has the ability to respond. She pointed out: "We have negotiation power. We have the capability to retaliate... we may not necessarily retaliate, but we have a strong plan to do so when necessary."

According to von der Leyen, the Trump administration has so far announced a 25% tariff on imported steel, aluminum, cars, and car parts. The next industry facing tariffs will be semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and timber. On local time February 2, President Trump is expected to announce so-called "reciprocal tariffs", which will immediately apply to almost all goods in the world and many countries.

She advised the US gently, saying that imposing comprehensive tariffs would only make things worse, and that tariffs would be paid by the American people, exacerbating inflation... This would lead to job losses and create a "new bureaucratic customs procedure monster".

It is worth noting that von der Leyen mentioned cooperation with the US again in her speech to jointly address issues such as "overcapacity, imbalance, unfair subsidies, refusal of market access, and intellectual property theft". She said: "I hear Americans say that some people take advantage of these rules. I agree. We are also deeply affected by them. So let's work together."

The Financial Times reported that although von der Leyen did not directly name anyone, it was clearly aimed at China, suggesting US-EU cooperation to exert pressure on China.

Subsequently, von der Leyen expressed to the US that the EU would negotiate with the US from a "position of strength" while being ready to firmly counteract US tariffs. She called out: "Europe has many cards. From trade to technology to market size. This power is built on our readiness to take firm countermeasures. All options are on the table."

Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech at the European Parliament on April 1, video screenshot.

Since taking office, Trump has overturned the established situation of transatlantic relations over the past 80 years, repeatedly criticizing the EU, and threatening to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on global goods starting February 2. Previously, the Trump administration had already announced tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, and cars.

Bloomberg previously reported that the EU had engaged in negotiations with the US, but progress was minimal, and they were almost powerless to stop the US from imposing tariffs.

It was reported that the reciprocal tariffs threatened by Trump could affect all or most of the EU's exports to the US. In the US-EU negotiations, non-tariff issues such as value-added tax, digital tax, and various EU regulations and food standards occupied a prominent position because the Trump administration viewed them as "unfair barriers" set by the EU. As a compromise, the EU also proposed the possibility of increasing US liquefied natural gas and defense-related purchases.

The EU consistently emphasized that despite having a trade surplus with the US in goods, member states imported a large amount of US tech services, including e-commerce, social media, and internet search engines. According to Euro News data, in 2023, the EU's trade surplus with the US in goods was 156.6 billion euros, but there was a trade deficit of 108.6 billion euros in services.

To date, the EU has yet to disclose details of its retaliatory measures against the US. The Financial Times pointed out that the EU has the ability to strike back at US service exports, which may include suspending certain intellectual property rights and excluding companies from public procurement contracts, reducing channels for US financial service companies to enter their markets. It was previously reported that the EU Commission would soon fine Apple and Meta under the Digital Markets Act.

In response to Trump's tariff threats, von der Leyen and other EU officials have repeatedly promised to counteract.

However, according to a recent report by Bloomberg, sources revealed that the EU is willing to make concessions to persuade the US to cancel some of the upcoming tariffs on the EU. It was disclosed that the EU Commission began drafting a "list of terms" for potential agreements. This list will outline areas where the EU can compromise, including lowering its own tariffs on the US, committing to mutual investment with the US, and relaxing regulations and standards for US companies.

This article is an exclusive contribution from the Guancha Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7488504844542657051/

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