Europe pushes back against Donald Trump’s proposed steel and aluminium tariffs

DW— The European Union has said it will introduce retaliatory measures against the US plans to impose steel and aluminium tariffs. The World Trade Organisation ( WTO) and International Monetary Fund ( IMF) have voiced their concerns over US President Donald Trump’s threat of a trade war.

European Commission President Jean- Claude Juncker on Fri- day accused US President Donald Trump of exhibiting “war- like behaviour,” after Washington announced it would impose punishing tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

According to news agency Reuters, EU officials began drawing up a list of $ 3.5bn- worth of US goods that would be subject to a 25% tariff.

The list includes typically American goods such as bourbon and blue jeans, to Harley Davidson motorcycles.

“We are here and they will get to know us,” Juncker said. “We would like a reasonable relationship to the US, but we cannot simply put our head in the sand.”

The Commission also insisted that any retaliatory measures would comply with rules set out by the WTO.

According to European steel association Eurofer, the US was the destination of about 15% of Europe’s steel exports in 2017. US steel, by comparison, only made up 1% of EU steel imports.

The IMF also warned on Friday that Trump’s tariffs would damage the US and global economies.