The EPP Group’s spokesman on international trade, Jörgen Warborn MEP, pushes back against US tariffs and doubles down on the EPP’s support for rules-based multilateral trade.
“Imposing a 15 percent baseline tariff is a blatant breach of WTO principles and a serious blow to European industrial competitiveness,” said Warborn following today’s meeting of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with US President Donald Trump.
“At a time of rising geopolitical tensions, a rules-based trading system is more essential than ever to provide the predictability that businesses and citizens depend on. The EU must not take any action that risks undermining this framework,” stressed Warborn.
“Our objective must remain zero-for-zero tariffs on industrial goods,” he said.
Warborn also stressed that any agreement must undergo full scrutiny and eventual approval by the European Parliament.
“I urge the European Commission to work in close coordination with like-minded partners to restore an open, rules-based global trading order. That includes sending the EU-Mercosur agreement for ratification to the co-legislators without further delay,” Warborn insisted.
Željana Zovko, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group and the Group’s negotiator for US trade, called for the EU to continue to work hand in hand with the US: “Together with our transatlantic and like-minded partners, we must strategically de-risk from all undemocratic regimes and work jointly to reduce our dependency on critical raw materials. Through NATO, we continue to stand side by side with the United States in defence and security cooperation. Our economic partnership must mirror that same level of strategic alignment. Trade, security, and resilience go hand in hand.”