The President of the United States, Donald Trump, signed a memorandum to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on countries that tax American products. The objective is to match the rates that these nations apply to U.S. exports. This new approach would particularly affect the European Union, which could face a significant increase in its tariff rates.
"For reasons of fairness, I will impose reciprocal tariffs. What a country charges the U.S., we will charge them the same, no more and no less," declared Trump upon signing the memorandum at the White House. The tariffs will not take effect immediately, but in weeks or months. Countries with the largest trade deficits will be the first affected.
Trump harshly criticized the European Union's trade practices, accusing it of imposing a "covert tariff" through VAT. Each nation is expected to face customized tariffs, which could raise the total rate up to 27%.
Trump's strategy is to pressure through tariffs to obtain concessions on trade, migration, and security, seeking to force each country to negotiate directly with the United States. This approach is based on the idea that many nations have benefited from trade with the U.S., while imposing barriers and tariffs on their exports.
The signed document focused on correcting what Trump considers an unfair deal for the U.S., setting specific tariffs based on the trade barriers imposed by each country. According to the president, unfair trade practices have led to the current imbalance, affecting sectors such as the automotive industry.
In summary, Trump has taken a firm step towards imposing "reciprocal tariffs" as part of his trade strategy. The European Union and other nations could face significant increases in their rates if they do not renegotiate current agreements.
