GENEVA

The EU will have "no choice but to respond firmly and swiftly" if the US imposes tariffs on the bloc's goods, the European commissioner for trade and economic security said Wednesday.

"If the US imposes tariffs on EU products, it would create unnecessary barriers to European exports, harming businesses and workers on both sides. Therefore, to protect European interests, we will have no choice but to respond firmly and swiftly," Maros Sefcovic said during his speech at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington.

Sefcovic emphasized the deep economic ties between the EU and US, describing the relationship as "the very definition of a win-win partnership, and there is nothing unfair about it."

He cited numerous examples of mutually beneficial trade, from Boeing and Airbus to the US semiconductor industry's reliance on EU-made technology.

"The EU is the United States' most important trading partner.

"Over the past decade, the EU-US bilateral trade in goods and services has doubled, surpassing $1.7 trillion in 2023," Sefcovic said.

"Together, we represent nearly 30% of global trade with daily exchanges worth over $4.5 billion," he added.


Urging constructive dialogue to avoid "unnecessary pain of measures and countermeasures," the EU commissioner reaffirmed the EU's commitment to free and fair trade.

"Commerce is not a warfare. It is an economic alliance benefiting both countries," he said.