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EU pause on tariffs response now in effect

A pause on EU countermeasures against US tariffs comes into effect today (15 April), after the European Commission yesterday adopted two legal acts. 

The EU measures, which were approved by member states last week, were in response to US tariffs of 25% on imports of steel and aluminium products that were imposed last month. 

The first act adopted yesterday imposes the EU countermeasures, while the second suspends all such measures until 14 July.

‘Time and space’ 

On 9 April, the US announced a 90-day pause on all universal tariffs affecting the EU. 

The commission’s president Ursula von der Leyen last week announced that the EU planned to pause its response to allow time and space for EU-US negotiations. 

Von der Leyen said that the EU wanted “to give negotiations a chance” but warned that the EU response would kick in if talks did not prove satisfactory. 

EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič was in Washington DC this week to hold meetings with his US counterparts to explore the ground for a negotiated solution.