EU talks tough on Trump tariffs in hope of U-turn

The EU has enormous economic clout as the biggest single market in the world, but does not want to risk a backlash.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersKatya Adler: EU talks tough on Trump tariffs in hope of U-turn5 days agoShareSaveKatya AdlerEurope EditorShareSaveGetty ImagesDonald Trump has upended global trade with his tariffs announcementFundamentally wrong, was how Germany's outgoing chancellor, Olaf Scholz, described the new Trump tariffs.

A unilateral attack - that was the view of Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

French President Emmanuel Macron called them brutal, unfounded and certain to have a "massive impact" on the European economy.

He convened an emergency meeting with representatives of French businesses most affected by the newly announced 20% tariffs on EU goods sold to the US and issued a call to arms to European business "not to invest in America for some time until we have clarified things".

"What message would we send by having major European players investing billions of euros in the American economy at a time when [the US] is hitting us?" he said.