Le chef de la diplomatie européenne sur les nouveaux droits de douane de Washington: "Qui peut mieux suivre ?"

EU Diplomat Questions US Tariffs Justification Amid Trade Dispute European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has expressed dismay over the United States' decision to impose new tariffs on European goods, calling the rationale behind the measures "unjustified." Speaking at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Manila, Kallas emphasized that the U.S. allegations regarding insufficient enforcement of forced labor bans were unfounded when compared to the EU’s labor standards. Kallas stated, “You can’t say that about the European Union.” She pointed out that European workers enjoy paid annual leave and favorable working conditions, which she argued made the U.S. claims baseless. The administration of former President Donald Trump had imposed new tariffs ranging from 10% to 12.5% on goods from 60 trading partners, including the EU, citing non-compliance with international labor standards. These measures came into effect after the expiration of a temporary global tariff of 10%. When asked whether the EU had anticipated being included in these new American measures, Kallas responded, “Who can keep track of when tariffs are introduced and when they are removed? No, we did not expect this.” The latest round of tariffs represents one of Trump's final attempts to realize his pre-election vision of a near-global tariff regime. This follows the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year striking down some of Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs, which were enacted under emergency powers to reduce the trade deficit. Kallas noted that the EU had honored its commitments under the transatlantic trade agreement signed last year and was surprised by the lack of respect for that accord. “We had an agreement with America and adhered to it, along with other agreements,” she said. “That is why this is an unpleasant surprise that the agreement is not being respected.” In addition to addressing the U.S.-led trade tensions, Kallas discussed the EU’s recent sanctions against Russia, emphasizing their intent to increase pressure on Moscow and limit its ability to fund the war in Ukraine. “The aim is to deprive them of funds for financing this war,” she explained. She added that the sanctions have already begun to impact the Russian economy, making it harder for Moscow to raise capital on international markets. “We see that they are no longer able to collect capital abroad. It is clear that these measures, together with other elements, are having an effect,” she said. On Thursday, the Council of the European Union approved the 21st package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The package includes new restrictions targeting the Russian banking sector and networks associated with cryptocurrency. Kallas stressed that while sanctions are part of a broader strategy, they are just one component of the EU’s approach to pressuring Russia into meaningful negotiations with Ukraine. “We have more elements in our approach. Sanctions are just one of them. We are considering what else we can do to exert pressure on Russia to actually sit at the negotiating table and negotiate with Ukraine,” she concluded.