The EU is preparing to act! Plans to counter Trump's tariffs: First round of measures targets over $28 billion in goods.

As President Trump's tariff storm shakes global markets and economic prospects, EU countries will seek to form a united front in the coming days to determine the first round of countermeasures against U.S. tariffs.

According to media reports, the European Union may approve the imposition of tariffs on US imports worth up to $28 billion this Wednesday, which will be the EU's first round of targeted retaliatory tariffs against the United States. This move will mean that the EU joins the ranks of China and Canada in fighting back against the United States.

▌The EU will counterattack the US

The European Union's 27 countries are already facing a 25% import tariff on cars, steel, and aluminum products from the United States. Starting from this Wednesday, almost all other goods from the EU will also face a so-called "reciprocal tariff" of 20%. Currently, Trump's tariffs already cover about 70% of the EU's exports to the United States—totaling 532 billion euros (approximately 425.6053 billion yuan) according to last year's data. In the future, the EU's copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and timber may also be subject to tariffs.

The European Commission, responsible for coordinating EU trade policy, will present a proposed list of U.S. products subject to increased tariffs to EU member states later on Monday local time. The list will include American meat, grains, wine, timber, and clothing, as well as items such as chewing gum, dental floss, vacuum cleaners, and toilet paper, with a total value of approximately $28 billion.

It should be noted that this list is primarily aimed at responding to Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs, rather than addressing broader reciprocal tariffs.

Bourbon has received more attention, revealing divisions within the EU. The European Commission has decided to impose a 50% tariff on American bourbon, prompting Trump to threaten retaliatory tariffs of up to 200% on EU alcohol beverages if the EU continues its actions. Major wine-exporting countries in Europe, France and Italy, have expressed concerns about this.

Early Monday local time, Luxembourg will host a political meeting of the European Union—the first EU-wide political gathering since Trump announced comprehensive tariffs. Trade ministers from the EU's 27 member states will exchange views on the impact of the tariffs and how best to respond.

EU diplomats said that the main purpose of this meeting was to convey a consistent message that the EU hoped to negotiate with Washington, D.C. of the United States on the removal of tariffs, but was ready to take countermeasures if the negotiations failed.

▌Divisions persist within the EU.

Currently, among EU member states, there are differing opinions on how to respond to US tariffs.

France has stated that the European Union should devise a comprehensive plan that goes far beyond tariffs for retaliation. French President Emmanuel Macron has suggested that European companies should suspend their investments in the United States until "the situation becomes clear".

Ireland, which exports almost a third of its produce to the US, has appealed for a "thoughtful and measured" response, while Italy, the third largest EU exporter to the US, has questioned whether the EU should retaliate at all.

"It's a difficult balance. Measures can't be too soft, or they won't bring the United States to the negotiating table, but they can't be too hard either, or they might lead to an escalation," said an EU diplomat.

▌The first round of EU countermeasures will be approved this week.

So far, the negotiations between the EU and the US have not yielded any results. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said that he had a two-hour "frank" exchange with the US Trade Representative last Friday, and told them that the US tariffs were "destructive and unreasonable."

The European Union's first round of counter-tariffs is scheduled for a vote this Wednesday and is expected to be approved with a high probability—unless 15 EU member states representing 65% of the EU's population vote against it, which is highly unlikely to happen.

The European Union's first round of retaliatory tariffs will come into effect in two stages, with some taking effect on April 15, and the rest a month later.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also hold discussions with the top executives of the steel, automotive, and pharmaceutical industries on Monday and Tuesday this week to assess the impact of tariffs and decide on the next steps to take.