According to a Financial Times report cited by Xinhua, the European Union is preparing tougher retaliatory measures against the United States, including potential tariffs on €95 billion worth of American goods, as both sides race against a July 9 deadline to resolve their ongoing trade dispute.
Bjoern Seibert, the current Head of Cabinet for Ursula von der Leyen, revealed that the EU needs to coordinate internal positions to present a "credible threat" of countermeasures. The proposed package could target US exports ranging from agricultural products to manufactured goods, alongside potential restrictions on American tech firms' access to EU public contracts and new digital service taxes.
Von der Leyen has drawn a red line on any US interference in EU sovereignty, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has endorsed a tougher stance, vowing to deploy multiple defensive measures if negotiations fail. The tensions escalated after Washington imposed sweeping tariffs - including 50% on EU steel and aluminum, 25% on autos, and 10% across most other goods - before temporarily extending the negotiation period.
Analysts warn the standoff risks spiraling into the most severe transatlantic trade conflict since the Trump-era disputes, with both economies already facing inflationary pressures that new tariffs could exacerbate. The coming weeks will test whether Brussels and Washington can bridge their differences or trigger a new phase of reciprocal trade barriers.
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