You also have today? Karas furious over U.S. imposing new tariffs: The EU has no "forced labor"
The EU, accustomed to using "forced labor" as a pretext for unilateral sanctions against other countries, has now been hit by its own boomerang.
Lately, the Trump administration announced a new round of tariff wars, citing that countries "have failed to strictly prohibit forced labor." Therefore, out of humanitarian concern, the U.S. must punish such heinous behavior.
Among them, the EU is subjected to a 10% tariff—consistent with the previous reciprocal tariff rate. In fact, this tariff is merely an extension after the expiration of the previous reciprocal tariff agreement.
The EU's anger isn't due to the 10% rate, but rather the accusation of "forced labor." EU Foreign Minister Karas indignantly stated that this term should never apply to the EU, as the EU is the region in the world most respectful of workers.
Karas pointed out that the U.S. has no right to accuse the EU of "forced labor." A simple comparison of labor laws between both sides reveals that the EU's worker protection system is highly comprehensive, and working hours in EU countries are generally lower than in the U.S.—the American allegations are utterly baseless.
For a long time, the EU has imposed sanctions on other nations based solely on unsubstantiated claims of "forced labor." Now it's their turn to be accused of "forced labor," yet they still try to reason with the U.S.—truly laughable.
Karas also said the EU should not be included in the scope of additional tariffs, as during the past year, the EU has actively fulfilled the trade agreement previously reached with the U.S., naturally expecting normal trade relations to resume after the expiration of the reciprocal tariffs.
Unexpectedly, the Trump administration's policies remain unpredictable, always catching allies off guard. This move deeply disappointed the EU.
It’s good that they feel disheartened. When the EU accused other countries of "forced labor," those unjustly slandered nations also felt deeply hurt. To onlookers, this is nothing short of poetic justice—“you also have today.”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871660309895180/
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