Europe ready to respond ‘in a proportionate way’ as Trump touts tariffs, top EU official says

Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the European Commission for the Euro & Social Dialogue, photographed at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai. 02DEC17 SCMP/ Xiaomei Chen (Photo by Chen Xiaomei/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)

South China Morning Post | South China Morning Post | Getty Images

Europe will respond to any tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in a proportionate way, the European Union’s commissioner for the economy told CNBC Wednesday.

“If there is a need to defend our economic interests we will respond in a proportionate way,” Valdis Dombrovskis told CNBC Wednesday.

“We’re ready to defend our values and also our interests and rights if that becomes necessary,” he added, speaking to CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Since his inauguration on Monday, Trump has repeated his threat to impose tariffs on EU goods entering the States, telling reporters that the EU was “very, very bad to us. So they’re going to be in for tariffs. It’s the only way … you’re going to get fairness.”

He also said his administration was discussing imposing an additional 10% tariff on goods imported from China, starting in February.

Dombrovskis said the U.S. and Europe were strategic allies and it was important for them to work together, both geopolitically and economically. He said European officials were talking to their U.S. counterparts to find a “pragmatic” solution to the discussion of tariffs.

This is a developing story and will be updated shortly.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

CEOs of CrowdStrike, Goldman, Microsoft, Salesforce on AI, Trump

It’s that time of year when business tycoons and influential world leaders gather in Davos, Switzerland for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum . Speakers at this week’s retreat, who are addressing a plethora of global issues, included Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Tuesday and European Central Bank President Christine Lagard on

Lauren Sanchez’s inauguration bustier sparks MAGA fight over ‘hooker’ remarks

While Lauren Sanchez always seems eager to get attention for her figure-hugging, cleavage-forward outfits, the fiancée of Jeff Bezos may not have expected that she’d incite what the right-leaning Daily Mail has called a “conservative catfight” over Megyn Kelly calling her a “hooker” for donning what appeared to be a bustier top — and nothing

Davos: Andhra CM Naidu meets Bill Gates, Unilever official, Cenmat CEO on sidelines of WEF

Davos [Switzerland], January 23 (ANI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met Microsoft and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Founder, Bill Gates, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum summit in Davos. The meeting between the two leaders focused on forging partnerships to transform the state of Andhra Pradesh into a ‘global hub’

Trump threatens tariffs if Russia doesn’t end war with Ukraine

In This Story President Donald Trump on Wednesday levied the threat of tariffs against Russia, saying that unless a deal is made to end Russia’s war against Ukraine he will have “no other choice” but to issue new sanctions. Bitcoin will hit $130,000 this year, wealth advisor says “Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War!”

Lauren Sanchez: Meet Lauren Sanchez, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ fiancée. But why has she grabbed eyeballs after Trump inauguration?

Lauren Sanchez became the talk of the town after she made an appearance at the 47th president Donald Trump’s inauguration, clad in a lingerie-inspired bustier under a form-fitting white blazer. While some questioned her dressing choice for a formal and historic event, it was Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO, who grabbed the headlines after an ill-timed

Celebrities at the Louis Vuitton Fall 2025 Men’s Show

Pharrell Williams brought the cool factor to Paris as Louis Vuitton presented its Men’s Fall-Winter 2025 collection at the Cour Carrée du Louvre on Tuesday. The front row was a star-studded affair, where fashion and celebrity collided in the most stylish way possible. Leading the charge was Callum Turner, the new face of Louis Vuitton,

32 Celebrities With the Most Private of Private Lives

Typically, acting and celebrity go hand in hand—especially when the actor in question reaches a certain level of fame. While many celebrities accept the public’s attention—and in some cases, appreciate it (or pretend to)—others resist the spectacle of being a public figure. Some of our biggest celebrities closely guard their private lives, to the point

Zoe Saldaña on the Complexities of Growing Up Bicultural

Anyone who grew up with two cultures knows the difficulties that come with finding a sense of self, and of belonging. Zoe Saldaña can tell you exactly how that feels. The Emilia Pérez star began her childhood in New York City, with her parents and her two sisters, but when she was just nine years

Trump expresses possibility of more sanctions against Russia for Ukraine war

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled the possibility of placing additional sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine. Asked about the prospect while speaking to reporters Tuesday, Trump responded, “Sounds likely.” Trump said his administration has been in talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and would be speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin “very soon.”

Warren Buffett Company Shuts Down International Oil Trading Operations

A Warren Buffet company engaged in international oil trading is shutting down, Reuters has reported, noting that from now on, Pilot Co will focus on fuel retail. Citing several unnamed sources the report said Pilot Co had let almost all of its employees go and refocus on its original business in the United States. Warren

Dealing a body blow to the tankers of Putin’s “dirty fleet”

Importantly, it follows the cancellation at the start of the new year of the Ukraine gas transit arrangements. According to Khakova, that amounts to a US$6 billion loss in annual revenues for Russia. That, in turn, follows collapsing revenues from reduced flows as Europe frantically sought alternative gas supplies following the invasion of Ukraine. In

Donald Trump finds new ways to flex presidential power after returning to the White House

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is swiftly breaching the traditional boundaries of presidential power as he returns to the White House, bringing to bear a lifetime of bending the limits in courthouses, boardrooms and politics to forge an expansive view of his authority. He’s already unleashed an unprecedented wave of executive orders, daring anyone

Trump orders all federal DEI employees placed on paid leave starting Wednesday

The Trump administration is ordering all federal employees in diversity, equity and inclusion roles placed on paid leave by Wednesday evening, according to a new memo from the Office of Personnel Management. The memo, issued Tuesday to heads of departments and agencies, sets a deadline of no later than 5 p.m. ET Wednesday to inform

Trump is considering a 10% tariff on China over this concern

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said his team is discussing imposing a 10 per cent tariff on China starting February 1 based on the fact that the latter is sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada. Donald Trump says he discussed ‘trade, fentanyl, TikTok’ with Xi Jinping (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo)(REUTERS) “We’re talking about a tariff

Meet Jeff Bezos’ Fiancée Lauren Sánchez

What does Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez do for work now? In addition to still running Black Ops Aviation and championing Bezos’ efforts behind the controls—”I’ve also learned how to fly the helicopter,” the Blue Origin founder told CNN in 2022, “and she’s a horrible backseat pilot. She’s terrible!”—Sánchez released a children’s book, The Fly

Find out which stars share your sign

With the future a mystery, people love turning to the stars for guidance. While we may not all become celebrities, we all likely share our zodiac sign with at least one or two Hollywood A-listers. From Aries to Pisces, here’s a breakdown of each sign and some of the A-list celebrities who embody its traits.

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x