The pause was first announced by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week, and takes legal effect from today.
The EU has paused its countermeasures on ‘unjustified’ US trade tariffs to allow time and space for EU-US negotiations.
The pause was first announced by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week, and takes legal effect from today.
The decision puts on hold for up to 90 days the EU’s planned countermeasures against US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium imports.
The decision—which puts on hold for up to 90 days the EU’s planned countermeasures against US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium imports—was made in response to the US delaying by 90 days its so-called reciprocal tariffs.
In total, the suspended EU countermeasures cover €21 billion of US exports.
As part of the EU’s push to find a negotiated outcome with the US, EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic was in Washington DC yesterday to hold meetings with his US counterparts to explore the ground for a negotiated solution.
President von der Leyen made clear in her statement that the EU wants “to give negotiations a chance,” but should talks not prove satisfactory, the EU countermeasures will kick in.
In addition to these now-suspended countermeasures against US tariffs on steel and aluminium, preparatory work on further EU countermeasures continues.
The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, risking economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy, an official release said.
On February 10, 2025, the United States announced that it would impose 25-per cent tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium and derivative products.
President von der Leyen immediately cautioned that such tariffs are “bad for business, worse for consumers” and would trigger a firm and proportionate European response. These US tariffs were imposed on March 12.
In response, the EU announced a swift and proportionate plan to impose countermeasures on US goods exports, while consistently stating its preference for finding a negotiated solution with the US.
On April 9, EU member states voted in favour of the European Commission’s proposal. Later on the same day, the United States announced a 90-day pause on all universal tariffs affecting the EU, and the EU swiftly responded by announcing a pause on its intended countermeasures.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)