Scholz said the EC will respond quickly if the US imposes duties

The European Commission (EC) will react within hours if US President Donald Trump decides to impose duties against the European Union (EU). German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on February 8.

"I rely on cooperation, not confrontation. We are extending our hand because tariffs benefit no one. If the U.S. does take such steps (imposing duties. - Ed.), the European Commission will be able to react within a few hours," the RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) media group quoted him as saying.

According to him, globalization is beneficial for Germany as a state with a developed industry, which is export-oriented, and this state of affairs should continue. At the same time, the German chancellor pointed out that the European Union with its 450 million inhabitants is strong and "capable of acting".

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On the eve of the head of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union (EU) intends to defend its interests in relations with Washington and will adhere to a firm retaliatory position in case of the decision of the United States to unfairly impose duties on goods from Europe. According to her, the U.S.-EU trade profits are €1.5 trillion and jobs in both the EU and America depend on it. At the same time, she pointed out that the U.S. and the EU have not yet negotiated on duties, as there was no signal from Washington to Brussels.

Prior to that, on February 5, the Financial Times (FT) noted that in the case of the introduction of duties by the U.S. in the European Union may be split on the issue of retaliatory measures. The publication noted that the EU is preparing for a potential trade war with US President Donald Trump.

The US President signed an executive order on February 1 to impose trade tariffs of 25% on goods from Canada, China and Mexico. Then he also promised to impose duties on goods from the EU. With this decision, Trump seeks to reduce the flow of the opioid fentanyl across the border, as well as the flow of migrants.