EU Response Should Be Calm and Strategic, Says MEP Wouter Beke on U.S. Tariffs

Wouter Beke, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Chair of the ASEAN delegation, has described the recent 30% tariff imposed by the United States on European goods as “a serious blow to European companies, jobs, and economic stability,” MEP told The Eurotoday Newspaper.

In his written statement to The Eurotoday Newspaper, Beke said,

“No one wins in a trade war,”

quoting Professor Richard Baldwin’s description of the tariffs as “a political placebo that inflicts real economic damage.”  He added that while the tariffs are economically contradictory, they make sense within the “emotional logic of reclaiming national pride and making others ‘pay’.” 

MEP Beke told The Eurotoday Newspaper on the question of EU countermeasures for US tariffs, that the European Union must respond with “calm, strategic countermeasures” that are “targeted and proportionate,” focusing on sectors where Europe is strong. He emphasized that these measures should defend European interests “without harming our own economy.”

He further stated that if the U.S. continues to provoke, Europe should consider “measures that truly hit the U.S. where it hurts,” including the use of the EU’s anti-coercion instrument to address vulnerabilities in American services.

On the question, how can the EU strengthen the internal market? Beke identified the tariffs as “a clear wake-up call to strengthen our internal market.”

He called for eliminating remaining barriers in services, advancing the Capital Markets Union, and deepening cooperation in European defence to build resilience and reduce dependence on unpredictable external partners.

MEP Beke told The Eurotoday Newspaper on the question of which trade partners should Europe prioritize, diversifying global trade relationships is equally important. As Chair of the ASEAN delegation, he pointed to “real momentum for deeper partnerships with Southeast Asia,” highlighting the recent breakthrough in EU–Indonesia CEPA negotiations as an example. He said the agreement

“opens the door to greater market access and sustainable cooperation in strategic areas like critical raw materials.”

He questioned whether Europe will

“continue playing the victim in the face of Trump’s absurd tariffs, or finally opt for an assertive, forward-looking trade policy”

that leverages the strength of the internal market and builds partnerships with the U.S., India, Indonesia, and Mercosur, provided fair standards are met.

Concluding his statement, Beke told The Eurotoday Newspaper,

“Whether or not a deal is struck with the United States, Europe must act with unity and resolve. Our top priority must be to safeguard jobs, prosperity, and the economic well-being of all European citizens.”