EU warns US against potential new tariffs
The European Union warned the United States on Thursday that it will "respond firmly" if new tariffs on industrial products violate their existing trade agreement.
- Economy
- DPA
- Published Date: 06:55 | 12 March 2026
The European Union has warned the United States against imposing new tariffs on imports of industrial products from Europe that could violate a tariff agreement.
The EU expects the US to fully comply with the tariff deal concluded last July which caps US tariffs for EU imports at 15% for most product categories, a spokesman for the European Commission said on Thursday.
"We have not received any indication that the US administration intends to deviate from those commitments," he said, but added that "the commission would respond firmly and proportionately to any breach."
The US government has announced investigations into alleged overcapacities in certain sectors that could result in new tariffs.
The EU shares Washington's concerns but does not see itself as the problem, the spokesman said.
"The European Union shares the United States' concern regarding structural overcapacity in the global economy," he said.
"However, the sources of such overcapacity are well identified, and they do not lie in Europe."
"The EU is a market-driven economy with open markets and transparent policies. As such, the EU does not consider itself a contributor to structural excess capacity, but rather a partner in addressing global distortions."
The EU has repeatedly criticized China's market-distorting overcapacity, including in areas of clean technologies or battery-powered vehicles.
The EU expects the US to fully comply with the tariff deal concluded last July which caps US tariffs for EU imports at 15% for most product categories, a spokesman for the European Commission said on Thursday.
"We have not received any indication that the US administration intends to deviate from those commitments," he said, but added that "the commission would respond firmly and proportionately to any breach."
The US government has announced investigations into alleged overcapacities in certain sectors that could result in new tariffs.
The EU shares Washington's concerns but does not see itself as the problem, the spokesman said.
"The European Union shares the United States' concern regarding structural overcapacity in the global economy," he said.
"However, the sources of such overcapacity are well identified, and they do not lie in Europe."
"The EU is a market-driven economy with open markets and transparent policies. As such, the EU does not consider itself a contributor to structural excess capacity, but rather a partner in addressing global distortions."
The EU has repeatedly criticized China's market-distorting overcapacity, including in areas of clean technologies or battery-powered vehicles.
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