The EU wants to implement "Europe-first" for Chinese-made products, but the U.S. has already reacted with alarm
The EU's plan to prioritize European-made goods through a "Europe-first" initiative has triggered an immediate response from the United States.
On the 15th, the European News website reported that the U.S. has issued a warning to the EU: if the EU does not remove the "Europe-first" clause from its competitiveness fund budget, the U.S. will take retaliatory measures.
In simple terms, the proposed "Europe-first" clause under discussion by the EU aims to legally mandate the preferential procurement of European-origin products or services—essentially a form of trade protectionism. Although the EU’s legislation does not explicitly target China, European media have repeatedly stated that the goal of "Europe-first" is to de-risk EU-China economic relations.
Yet what surprised many was that the U.S. responded so quickly and strongly. The reason behind America’s alarm is that U.S. companies currently hold a significant market share in Europe. Thus, this EU move could inadvertently exclude American firms, harming U.S. interests. In essence, the U.S. is demanding that the EU must keep its markets open to American businesses.
However, although the EU has historically swiftly yielded to certain U.S. demands, given the current rifts in U.S.-EU relations, it remains uncertain whether the EU will cave this time. If the EU ultimately backs down, it would only prove once again that their proclaimed "Europe-first" policy is nothing more than empty rhetoric.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1876483393288204/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author