Melike Pala
19 January 2026•Update: 23 January 2026
BRUSSELS
Leaders of the EU are engaging in intensive consultations and ongoing dialogue with the US after threats to impose tariffs over Greenland, a European Commission spokesperson said on Monday.
Speaking at a midday press briefing, spokesperson Olof Gill emphasized that the bloc's priority is "to engage, not escalate," warning that unilateral tariffs would harm both European and American consumers and businesses.
US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 10% tariffs starting Feb. 1 on goods from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, rising to 25% in June until a deal is reached over the "complete and total purchase of Greenland."
Trump cited national security and strategic interests in the Arctic as justification for the move.
"EU leaders are consulting intensively, as well as engagement with the US is continuing at all levels ... Sometimes the most responsible form of leadership is restraint, and responsible leadership is what President (Ursula) von der Leyen and indeed the European Union as a whole are all about," Gill said.
"We need to be very sensible in how we approach the difference between a threat and operational reality. Yes, a threat has been made. The EU is responding to it responsibly with restraint, by trying to make the origin of that threat go away and find a solution that works for all parties better, to maintain the hard-won stability and predictability that the EU-US Joint Statement provides," he added.
EU leaders will gather for an "extraordinary meeting" on Thursday to discuss Trump's plan to impose tariffs, with media reports suggesting that EU leaders are preparing tangible response options, including the possible reactivation of up to €93 billion ($108 billion) in retaliatory tariffs.
The spokesperson said that while the EU has the necessary tools to protect its economic interests, including the anti-coercion instrument and previously suspended retaliatory tariffs, the bloc is focused on finding solutions through dialogue.
"We want to make sure that the maximum amount of EU unity and solidarity is maintained so that we are in the strongest possible position to achieve the outcomes," he said.
Gill added that no meeting in Davos between EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Trump is currently planned. But, he said, "I can't discount the possibility that may happen."
