The European Union announced that it would implement a countermeasure of 26 billion euros in response to the additional customs duties imposed by the USA. The European Commission stated that the new steel and aluminum tariffs by the USA were deemed unfair, leading to the initiation of “swift and proportionate” countermeasures. The statement highlighted that the US customs tariff decision would disrupt transatlantic trade, harm businesses and consumers, and result in higher prices. It was mentioned that the EU Commission would carefully calibrate a two-stage response to the new tariffs, with the first stage involving the activation of previously prepared and suspended countermeasures targeting a range of US products worth 8 billion euros starting on April 1st to address the economic damage. The second stage, set to come into effect on April 13th, would include new measures in response to US tariffs affecting over 18 billion euros worth of EU exports. The statement noted that the countermeasures would specifically target US products worth 26 billion euros, equivalent to the economic scope of the US tariffs, emphasizing that the EU is willing to negotiate a solution and will retreat from the measures if the issue is resolved. The US’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports came into effect on March 12th.