Quick overview

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The European Union condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to increase steel import duties on Saturday, saying it “undermines” efforts to find a “negotiated solution” in the current trade battle.

An EU spokesperson told NBC News, “We deeply regret the announced increase of US tariffs on steel imports from 25 percent to 50 percent.” The spokesperson added, “This decision raises costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic and adds further uncertainty to the global economy.”

The spokesperson stated, “This decision raises costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic and adds further uncertainty to the global economy.”

The EU is prepared to implement countermeasures in response to the most recent U.S. tariffs. Trump’s statement was denounced by the United Steelworkers union (USW), saying it was a “direct attack on Canadian industries and workers.”

In a statement, United Steelworkers National Director for Canada Marty Warren said, “Communities that depend on steel and aluminum are being jeopardized, and thousands of Canadian jobs are at stake.”

Trump increased pressure on manufacturers that rely on industrial metals for production when he announced on Friday that he would double tariffs on steel imports from 25% to 50%. The new import taxes are scheduled to take effect on June 4.

The European Union claimed to have paused its retaliatory actions against the U.S. and prepared to implement those measures “if no mutually acceptable solution is reached” by April 14, “to allow time and space for negotiations.”

‘The European Commission is currently finalizing consultations on expanded countermeasures.”  The EU added.

The current and new EU measures will automatically go into effect on July 14 or earlier, if necessary, should no amicable resolution be found. The US Court of International Trade suspended almost all of Trump’s country-specific tariffs this week, citing his overreach, which halted the Trump administration’s tariff plan.