Trump targets EU law, but it’s not up for negotiation, says lead lawmaker

The prime target of US President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs is European regulation rather than EU tariffs on American imports, according to MEP Bernd Lange (Germany/S&D) the chair of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee, but EU law is non-negotiable, he said.

“[In this report,] you find 30 pages about the EU,” Lange said, citing a report from the US Trade Representative, claiming that this is “more or less a comprehensive overview of our legislation. This is an indication that the president Trump is not looking on tariffs.”

According to the MEP, the only justification proffered by Trump’s team to arrive a figure of 39% in tariffs imposed by the EU tariffs lies in European legislation.

Citing “unfair” trade practices by its partners, the US announced a sweeping wave of reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday, affecting imports from countries around the world.

Washington claims the EU imposes a 39% tax on US imports, and in response Trump declared a 20% tariff on all European goods, escalating trade tensions between the two economic powers.

A US Trade Representative report lists those tariffs and non-tariff barriers it claims the EU applies to US imports, citing a broad range of EU legislation including sanitary and phytosanitary, environmental and digital regulations.

“We need a basis of what we can negotiate: European legislation is not on the table,” said Lange, who advocates for a negotiated approach with the Americans to break the deadlock of the trade war.

The lawmaker added that Europeans could consider further investment in the US as a basis of negotiation. 

Lange said that Trump’s tariffs “will really harm people on the ground,” including Europeans, Americans and those from the küresel South.

“This is unfair practice. President Trump called it Liberation Day, I will call it Inflation Day,” he added.