Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Stephane Sejourne, the Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy at the European Commission, cautioned that the European Union might implement specific economic measures in response to the 20% tariffs introduced by the new US administration.
On Monday evening, the European Commission will present members with a list of U.S. products targeted for additional duties. This action is in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum, and it reflects a more focused approach than imposing broader reciprocal tariffs.
The EU, comprising 27 nations, will encounter a 25% import tariff on steel, aluminum, and cars, along with reciprocal tariffs of 20% starting Wednesday for nearly all other goods.
“We could decide to withdraw all American companies from European public procurement markets. It’s an economic bazooka, but it’s one of the topics on the table,”
Sejourne told France Inter radio, saying that these tools were originally created “against the Chinese.”
Furthermore, Sejourne called for unity in the European Union, as trade ministers are assembling in Luxembourg to pave the way for a response to US levies.
Can the EU avoid escalating the bourbon tariff issue?
European Commissioner for Industrial Strategy Stephane Sejourne also said the European Union’s response to U.S. tariffs should be “proportionate” and expected that bourbon would be removed from the list of U.S. imports facing extra tariffs.
Bourbon has emerged as a focal point of discord within the bloc. The Commission has proposed a 50% tariff, leading Trump to threaten a 200% counter-tariff on EU alcoholic beverages should the bloc proceed. This situation has raised alarms among wine exporters in France and Italy.
“For bourbon, I have hopes that this element is taken out of the list. We will see in the coming hours,”
Sejourne told France Inter.
He also said the European Union had several cards up its sleeve to put pressure on US apart from tariffs, including
“withdrawing U.S. companies from our European public markets.”
“We need to look at exactly which sectors and why we can do it, but it’s one of the subjects on the table,”
He said.
