FM Lipavský: If US raises tariffs, EU must respond in kind

If the United States goes ahead and implements increased tariffs of 50% on all EU imports from June, Europe must defend its interests and respond in kind, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said on Czech Television on Sunday. He said a package of retaliatory tariffs had been pre-negotiated and stressed the need to maintain unity on the matter within the EU. Lipavský said he was glad that the EU was responding in a level-headed and reasonable manner, in an effort to prevent a full-blown trade war.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump announced plans for a 50 percent tariff on imports from the EU from 1 June. The European Union's trade chief said the 27-member bloc is committed to securing a trade deal with the US based on "respect" not "threats".