Tue Feb 04 12:29:33 UTC 2025: ## EU Braces for Trump’s Tariffs, Vows to Protect Interests

**WARSAW, Poland (February 4, 2025)** – The European Union is preparing for a potential trade war with the United States after President Donald Trump announced plans for new tariffs. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic stated Tuesday that the bloc is ready for immediate engagement with the incoming Trump administration to avoid disruptive trade measures. He is awaiting confirmation of the appointment of Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary before initiating formal talks.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed Sefcovic’s commitment to engagement, emphasizing the importance of collaboration on shared interests like supply chains and emerging technologies. However, she stressed the EU’s determination to protect its interests during negotiations: “We will be open and pragmatic…But we will make it equally clear that we will always protect our own interests.”

The EU meeting in Warsaw comes on the heels of new U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods and impending tariffs on Canada and Mexico (though temporarily paused). Trump has previously indicated that the EU is next in line, citing the U.S. trade deficit with the bloc. Sefcovic noted this deficit is approximately €50 billion, or 3% of the total €1.5 trillion annual EU-U.S. trade. He emphasized that millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic depend on this relationship.

Some EU ministers cautioned against making early concessions. Luxembourg’s foreign minister, Xavier Bettel, stressed the need for unity and a firm stance, stating, “This is not the Marrakech souk. We don’t offer. We listen, we exchange, we say things. We don’t offer.” Irish Trade Minister Peter Burke similarly advised against preemptive offers. The EU’s strategy remains to engage swiftly and protect its interests during negotiations with the Trump administration.

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