French leader Emmanuel Macron and his team have taken the toughest possible stance in the European Union. Official Paris is insisting that EU countries, for the first time in their history, use powerful “nuclear” measures in response to US tariffs.
Points of attention
- The 'nuclear' instrument was adopted during Trump's first term but has not yet received full support in the EU amid ongoing discussions.
- EU countries are awaiting details on potential tariffs from the US on April 2 before deciding on further actions.
Paris advocates US deterrence
According to journalists, France has joined a small group of countries determined to defend their interests.
Macron's team and their allies in the bloc are calling for discussions on the use of the so-called anti-coercion instrument in response to the US tariffs.
The counter-coercive instrument was designed primarily to deter and, if necessary, respond to deliberate coercive actions by third countries that use trade measures as a means of pressuring the sovereign political choices of the European Union or individual Member States.
What is important to understand is that this “nuclear” instrument was adopted in the European Union during Donald Trump’s first term. As is known, it was then that Washington announced tariffs on exports from the EU.
However, this initiative of the French president has not yet received the necessary support in Brussels.
According to media insiders, any discussions on using the tool are far from over, as the bloc's countries first want to know what tariffs the US will introduce on April 2.
