The European Union on Thursday has put its counter-tariffs on hold after the United States President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause on his reciprocal tariffs on nearly 60 countries. In a post on X, the European Union’s executive chief, Ursula von der Leyen, said the bloc wants to “give negotiations a chance”.
“While finalising the adoption of the EU countermeasures that saw strong support from our Member States, we will put them on hold for 90 days”, she stated.
“If negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will kick in. Preparatory work on further countermeasures continues. As I have said before, all options remain on the table,” she wrote.
I welcome President Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs. It’s an important step towards stabilizing the global economy.
Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function.
Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers.…
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 10, 2025
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed US President Donald Trump’s move to pause reciprocal tariffs for multiple countries, describing it as a stabilising measure amid escalating global trade tensions.
“I welcome President Trump’s announcement to pause reciprocal tariffs. It’s an important step towards stabilising the global economy,” von der Leyen posted earlier on X.
“Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function. Tariffs are taxes that only hurt businesses and consumers. That’s why I’ve consistently advocated for a zero-for-zero tariff agreement between the European Union and the United States,” she further wrote.
The EU on April 9 approved its initial set of countermeasures against Washington’s tariffs, targeting over €20 billion worth of US exports. It included soybeans, motorcycles and beauty products.