Šefović: EU Aims to Block Car Tariffs and Will Implement Necessary Measures

Strasbourg – The European Commission (EC) is actively working to avert the imposition of automotive tariffs by the United States. Should new tariffs be introduced, the Commission vows to robustly protect the interests of European industry, the economy, and consumers. This statement was made by Maroš Šefčovič, the Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, during an interview with TASR.

On March 26, American President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would impose a 25% tariff on imports of “all cars not manufactured in the United States,” signing an executive order for these duties to take effect on April 2.

Šefčovič highlighted that he had discussed this issue during his February visit to the U.S. and reiterated it in talks with American officials later in March.

“We will respond promptly and appropriately. We will firmly defend the European industry, consumers, and economy,” he asserted, alluding to potential countermeasures being prepared by the EU.

The Slovak commissioner mentioned that the EU has been working to prevent the implementation of tariffs and retaliatory actions. Nonetheless, he received early indications in February that the U.S. was planning broader measures.

“The U.S. Department of Commerce has been tasked with developing a so-called reciprocity report. This broadly defined reciprocity could, for instance, involve considering value-added tax (VAT) as a discriminatory tax against American goods,” he explained.

Šefčovič clarified that the perception of VAT as discriminatory is inaccurate, as this tax applies uniformly to all products in both the U.S. and the EU. He suggested that the American side should view it as a form of business taxation, similar to what exists in the U.S.

Regarding automotive tariffs, Šefčovič conveyed the European Commission’s willingness to explore opportunities for both sides to lower existing tariffs rather than increase them. He believes that such reductions would benefit the automotive sectors on both sides of the Atlantic.

He proposed reviving past discussions aimed at facilitating mutual recognition of technical standards, which could reduce costs and expedite the approval process for new car models. Additionally, he suggested that the U.S. work towards greater harmonization of automotive standards to empower the industry and create new development opportunities.

“We will respond promptly and appropriately. We will firmly defend the European industry, consumers, and economy.” Maroš Šefčovič