The President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, firmly rejected the tariffs imposed by the United States, although she highlighted the European Union's (EU) willingness to engage in negotiations. In a press conference following the EU-South Africa summit in Cape Town, Von der Leyen pointed out that tariffs are harmful to both businesses and consumers, as she considers them taxes.
"We are not in favor of tariffs because we believe they are taxes and are detrimental to companies and consumers. We are open to negotiation," stated the head of the EC. These remarks came in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 200% tariff on wine and other alcoholic beverages from the EU as a response to Brussels' plans to tax imports of American whiskey, which could further intensify the current trade war.
In this context, Von der Leyen emphasized that while the EU rejects the tariffs imposed by the U.S., it is willing to engage in dialogue and negotiate to resolve differences. The position of the EC president reflects concern about the negative repercussions of escalating trade tensions between the two economic powers.
Ursula von der Leyen's appearance during the EU-South Africa summit was marked by her rejection of U.S. tariffs, but at the same time by her willingness to seek solutions through dialogue and negotiations, emphasizing the importance of avoiding unilateral measures that could harm all parties involved.
