Paris (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – French Industry Minister Marc Ferracci said that Europe must “assume a form of power dynamic” against the threat of Trump’s tariffs, calling for a “biting” answer to the US president.
Trade negotiations with Donald Trump must assume a form of the power dynamic,
Ferracci said to France Info in an interview. “it is obvious that we must react,” Ferracci noted while adding that “we are waiting for the American administration’s decisions on what will concern Europe.”
Why must Europe respond forcefully to trump’s tariff threat?
In his view,
To be effective, the response must focus on products that are important to your interlocutor and the country with which you are negotiating.
He stressed that “it must be ‘biting,’ meaning it should have an impact on the American economy to have a credible threat in negotiations.”
Furthermore, Laurent Saint-Martin, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, said,
We won’t let ourselves be pushed around.
If the first impression you give of Europe to the US, China, and the entire world is to ‘go ahead, we are just a consumer market, and after all, we will no longer produce here,’ you have lost the battle,
he stated.
We must abandon naivety,
Ferracci further stated, while calling to “better protect our industry” by implementing a “Buy European Act” to favour products made in Europe.”
Our challenge is to remain united and to capitalise on the strength that this union gives us, that is, a common market that the United States cannot do without,
Ferracci explained.
We must not start by making concessions; we must not start by saying that we will buy more American products in this or that industrial or agricultural sector,
he urged.
How has Trump recently restated the tariff threat?
This month, on 1 February 2025, United States President Donald Trump restated a threat to level tariffs on the European Union amid a long-listed set of grievances over past trade imbalances and perceived bloc-level unfair treatments.
In a statement made in the Oval Office, Trump confirmed his intention to impose tariffs, stating, “Am I going to impose tariffs on the European Union? Absolutely, absolutely.” He criticised the EU for what he described as treating the U.S. “terribly,” particularly regarding trade practices that he believes disadvantage American businesses.
