The levies took effect just after midnight on Wednesday “with no exceptions or exemptions”, as promised by the White House – despite countries’ efforts to avert them.
The European Commission said it would impose “a series of countermeasures” from April 1 in response to the “unjustified trade restrictions” from the United States.
“We deeply regret this measure,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, adding that “the countermeasures we take today are strong but proportionate”.
“As the US are applying tariffs worth US$28 billion, we are responding with countermeasures worth” the equivalent in euros, she said.
And China, the world’s leading steel manufacturer – though not a major exporter of the product to the United States – vowed “all necessary measures” in response.
“There are no winners in trade wars,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
Washington’s tariffs would “seriously damage the rules-based multilateral trading system”, she warned.
Trump has imposed steep tariffs on major US trading partners Canada, Mexico and China since returning to office, allowing only a partial rollback for his country’s neighbours while vowing fresh levies from April 2. (AFP)
The levies took effect just after midnight on Wednesday “with no exceptions or exemptions”, as promised by the White House – despite countries’ efforts to avert them.
The European Commission said it would impose “a series of countermeasures” from April 1 in response to the “unjustified trade restrictions” from the United States.
“We deeply regret this measure,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement, adding that “the countermeasures we take today are strong but proportionate”.
“As the US are applying tariffs worth US$28 billion, we are responding with countermeasures worth” the equivalent in euros, she said.
And China, the world’s leading steel manufacturer – though not a major exporter of the product to the United States – vowed “all necessary measures” in response.
“There are no winners in trade wars,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.
Washington’s tariffs would “seriously damage the rules-based multilateral trading system”, she warned.
Trump has imposed steep tariffs on major US trading partners Canada, Mexico and China since returning to office, allowing only a partial rollback for his country’s neighbours while vowing fresh levies from April 2. (AFP)
