EU chief welcomes Trump tariff pause but is quiet about bloc’s retaliatory plan

China’s 84% retaliatory tariffs on US goods come into effect on Thursday, but there’s relief that Trump has paused levies against most countries

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stands prior to a meeting with Iceland’s Prime Minister Kristrun Frostadottir at the EU headquarters in Brussels (Omar Havana/AP)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to temporarily halt most US tariffs, but did not say whether the European Union intends to press ahead with its own retaliatory measures.

“I have authorised a 90 day PAUSE,” Mr Trump said, after recognising the more than 75 countries that he said have been negotiating on trade and had not retaliated against his latest increases in tariffs.

Countries subject to the pause will now be tariffed at 10%.

The EU’s rate was 20%, but it was not entirely clear how the 27-nation bloc would be impacted.

China was not included.

China was not included.

Mr Trump further jacked up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%.

European shares are making major gains on Thursday, following suit from Asian markets that have largely rebounded following the pause.

Ms Von der Leyen described the halt on reciprocal tariffs as “an important step towards stabilising the global economy. Clear, predictable conditions are essential for trade and supply chains to function”.

Tánaiste Simon Harris says he is now confident that substantial trade negotiations between the EU and US will begin after meeting his counterpart in Washington.

Mr Harris has briefed EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič after “detailed and substantive" discussions with the US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

The two also discussed the ongoing preparations at a European level to have meaningful engagement with the United States.

Mr Harris said: “It has been my consistent position and the consistent position of the Irish Government and the European Union that we need to get into substantive, calm, measured dialogue with the United States."

Before Mr Trump’s announcement on Wednesday, EU member countries voted to approve retaliatory tariffs on $23bn in goods in response to his 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminium.

The EU, the largest trading partner of the US, described them as “unjustified and damaging”.

The NYK Meteor container ship is seen moored at the Port of Los Angeles, US (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

The tariffs are set to go into effect in stages, some on April 15 and others on May 15 and December 1.

The EU commission did not immediately provide a list of the goods.

The bloc’s top trade official has shuttled between Brussels and Washington for weeks trying to head off a conflict.

But Ms Von der Leyen gave no sign that the EU’s timetable has changed.

Members of the EU – the world’s largest trading bloc – repeated their preference for a negotiated deal to settle trade issues, and Ms von der Leyen underscored that commitment, “with the goal of achieving frictionless and mutually beneficial trade”.

Still, the head of the EU’s executive branch – which negotiates trade deals and disputes on behalf of the member countries – said that Europe intends to diversify its trade partnerships.

She said that the EU will continue “engaging with countries that account for 87% of global trade and share our commitment to a free and open exchange of goods, services, and ideas,” and to lift barriers to commerce inside its own single market.

“Together, Europeans will emerge stronger from this crisis,” Ms von der Leyen said