Rais wa Tume ya Ulaya, Ursula von der Leyen, amesema Umoja wa Ulaya umejikita katika mazungumzo, utulivu na ushirikiano mzuri wa pande mbili na Marekani. Ametoa kauli hiyo baada ya Rais wa zamani wa Marekani, Donald Trump, kuandika barua akionya kuhusu kuongeza ushuru zaidi kwa bidhaa kutoka EU na Mexico.
Katika taarifa yake, von der Leyen aliongeza kuwa EU iko tayari kuchukua hatua zote muhimu kulinda maslahi yake, ikiwemo kuchukua hatua za kisera kulingana na hali itakavyotakiwa. Alisema bado wana matumaini ya kufikia makubaliano na Marekani kabla ya Agosti 1, na mawaziri wa biashara wa EU wanatarajiwa kukutana Jumatatu kujadili mahusiano ya kibiashara na Marekani pamoja na China
Serikali ya Mexico ilithibitisha kuwa ilifahamishwa mapema na maofisa wa Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje ya Marekani kuhusu barua hiyo ya Trump, na kueleza kutokubaliana nayo, wakisema hatua hiyo si ya haki.
Hadi sasa, Trump ametuma barua kwa nchi 24 na Umoja wa Ulaya, akitishia ushuru mpya. EU ilikuwa na matumaini kwamba wangeepuka barua hiyo na kufikia makubaliano ya kibiashara, lakini dalili zinaonyesha hali inaweza kuwa tofauti. Wataalamu wanasema ushuru huo mpya unaweza kuvuruga kabisa utaratibu wa kimataifa wa biashara uliokuwepo kwa miongo kadhaa
Soma pia: Donald Trump atishia ushuru mpya kwa nchi za BRICS
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European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by noting the bloc's “commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership.”
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European Parliament members at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European Parliament members at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Source: Associated Press)
“At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required,” von der Leyen said in a statement.
Von der Leyen added that the EU remains committed to continuing negotiations with the US and coming to an agreement before Aug. 1. Trade ministers from EU countries are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss trade relations with the US, as well as with China.
European leaders joined von der Leyen in urging Trump to give negotiations more time and warnings of possible new tariffs on Washington
“With European unity, it is more than ever up to the Commission to assert the Union’s determination to resolutely defend European interests,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement posted on X
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office said "it would make no sense to trigger a trade war between the two sides of the Atlantic."
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR that Trump was taking a “pointless and a very short-sighted approach."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson warned in an interview with SVT that “everyone loses out from an escalated trade conflict, and it will be US consumers who pay the highest price.”
The Mexican government said it was informed during high-level talks with US State Department officials Friday that the Trump letter was coming.
The delegation told Trump officials at the meeting it disagreed with the decision and considered it “unfair treatment,” according to a Mexican government statement.
Trump, as he has in previous letters, warned that his administration would further raise tariffs if the EU attempts to hike its own tariffs on the United States.
With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively blowing up the rules governing world trade.
For decades, the United States and most other countries abided by tariff rates set through a series of complex negotiations known as the Uruguay round.
Countries could set their own tariffs, but under the “most favoured nation’’ approach, they couldn’t charge one country more than they charged another
The Mexico tariff, if it goes into effect, could replace the 25% tariffs on Mexican goods that do not comply with the existing US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement
Katika taarifa yake, von der Leyen aliongeza kuwa EU iko tayari kuchukua hatua zote muhimu kulinda maslahi yake, ikiwemo kuchukua hatua za kisera kulingana na hali itakavyotakiwa. Alisema bado wana matumaini ya kufikia makubaliano na Marekani kabla ya Agosti 1, na mawaziri wa biashara wa EU wanatarajiwa kukutana Jumatatu kujadili mahusiano ya kibiashara na Marekani pamoja na China
Serikali ya Mexico ilithibitisha kuwa ilifahamishwa mapema na maofisa wa Wizara ya Mambo ya Nje ya Marekani kuhusu barua hiyo ya Trump, na kueleza kutokubaliana nayo, wakisema hatua hiyo si ya haki.
Hadi sasa, Trump ametuma barua kwa nchi 24 na Umoja wa Ulaya, akitishia ushuru mpya. EU ilikuwa na matumaini kwamba wangeepuka barua hiyo na kufikia makubaliano ya kibiashara, lakini dalili zinaonyesha hali inaweza kuwa tofauti. Wataalamu wanasema ushuru huo mpya unaweza kuvuruga kabisa utaratibu wa kimataifa wa biashara uliokuwepo kwa miongo kadhaa
Soma pia: Donald Trump atishia ushuru mpya kwa nchi za BRICS
====
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by noting the bloc's “commitment to dialogue, stability, and a constructive transatlantic partnership.”
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European Parliament members at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European Parliament members at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Source: Associated Press)
“At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required,” von der Leyen said in a statement.
Von der Leyen added that the EU remains committed to continuing negotiations with the US and coming to an agreement before Aug. 1. Trade ministers from EU countries are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss trade relations with the US, as well as with China.
European leaders joined von der Leyen in urging Trump to give negotiations more time and warnings of possible new tariffs on Washington
“With European unity, it is more than ever up to the Commission to assert the Union’s determination to resolutely defend European interests,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement posted on X
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office said "it would make no sense to trigger a trade war between the two sides of the Atlantic."
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR that Trump was taking a “pointless and a very short-sighted approach."
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson warned in an interview with SVT that “everyone loses out from an escalated trade conflict, and it will be US consumers who pay the highest price.”
The Mexican government said it was informed during high-level talks with US State Department officials Friday that the Trump letter was coming.
The delegation told Trump officials at the meeting it disagreed with the decision and considered it “unfair treatment,” according to a Mexican government statement.
Trump, as he has in previous letters, warned that his administration would further raise tariffs if the EU attempts to hike its own tariffs on the United States.
With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectively blowing up the rules governing world trade.
For decades, the United States and most other countries abided by tariff rates set through a series of complex negotiations known as the Uruguay round.
Countries could set their own tariffs, but under the “most favoured nation’’ approach, they couldn’t charge one country more than they charged another
The Mexico tariff, if it goes into effect, could replace the 25% tariffs on Mexican goods that do not comply with the existing US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement
