Europeans support retaliatory tariffs against US
A survey shows most people in western Europe would back retaliatory tariffs against the United States if US President Donald Trump implements sweeping import duties on major trading partners as expected this week.
Trump is poised to announce a range of country-specific tariffs on Wednesday, a day he has called "liberation day", and has indicated he will introduce a 25-percent levy on car imports the next day.
The impact on European companies is expected to be severe, particularly on German automakers and French producers of luxury goods, wine, champagne, and spirits who derive up to 20 percent of their revenue from US exports, reported The Guardian newspaper.
The European Union has pledged to respond with "timely, robust and calibrated" measures, with analysts warning the US move could dampen production, increase consumer costs, and lead to a trade war.
A YouGov poll released on Tuesday shows strong support across major European nations for retaliatory levies on US imports. Among the seven countries surveyed, support ranges from 79 percent in Denmark to 56 percent in Italy, with France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom also participating.
Support for retaliation reached 68 percent in both Germany, where luxury automakers Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes face major profit risks, and France, where annual US sales of wines and spirits total nearly 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion).
The EU's top official issued a stern warning to Washington on Tuesday over Trump's tariffs and emphasized the bloc's economic leverage, reported The Associated Press.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers: "Europe has not started this confrontation. We do not necessarily want to retaliate, but if it is necessary, we have a strong plan to retaliate and we will use it."
Speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, where the commission manages trade negotiations and disputes for the 27-nation bloc, von der Leyen added: "Europe holds a lot of cards, from trade to technology to the size of our market. But this strength is also built on our readiness to take firm counter measures if necessary. All instruments are on the table."
The YouGov poll, which was conducted in mid-March, found backing for countermeasures remained strong across all seven nations despite widespread concerns about economic damage. In Germany, where concerns were highest, 75 percent said they expected "a lot" or "a fair amount" of impact on their economy.
Similar levels of concern were expressed in other major economies, with more than 60 percent of respondents in Spain, France, Italy, and Sweden saying they expect significant economic fallout.
Trump, who campaigned on reviving US industry, has frequently accused the EU of being "very unfair to us" on trade. In February, he claimed the 27-nation bloc was "formed to screw the United States".
A majority of respondents across the EU nations surveyed disagreed with Trump's assessment, with opposition strongest in Denmark and Germany.
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