The European Union will postpone until early August the entry into force of countermeasures in response to US tariffs, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. They were originally due to come into force on Monday, July 14. According to the EC President, the 27 still prefer negotiations when it comes to a trade deal with the US.

US President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States will impose a 30 percent flat tariff on goods from the European Union starting August 1. This is according to a letter the White House chief of staff addressed to European Commission President von der Leyen and published on his social network Truth Social.

"Now is the time for negotiations, but at the same time we are prepared for all scenarios," said the head of the EU executive.

The European Union adopted the first package of countermeasures against US tariffs on steel and aluminum worth 21 billion euros (518 billion crowns) in April, but then postponed it for ninety days, which meant until this Monday, July 14. A second package of countermeasures, originally worth 95 billion euros (2.3 trillion crowns), is also being prepared. However, after objections from some EU members, it is likely to be worth 72 billion euros (1.8 trillion crowns), although the member states have not yet discussed it in detail.

XTB analyst Tomáš Cverna on tariffs

Source: CT24

President Trump wants better deals, his adviser said

US President Donald Trump has seen some trade deal offers and thinks they should be better, and if they don't improve in his view, the announced high tariffs will take effect on August 1, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said in an interview with ABC News.

The moderator asked Hassett whether the tariffs were real or just a negotiating tactic on Trump's part."The tariffs are real in case the president doesn't get a deal that he thinks is good enough," the adviser replied.

The Trump administration has announced a goal of concluding ninety agreements in ninety days. The ambitious plan has been met with skepticism from trade experts familiar with the difficult and lengthy trade negotiations of the past. The US government had only managed to negotiate an agreement with Vietnam and Britain by July 9. In addition, the US reached a framework agreement with China, in which both sides withdrew from high tariffs exceeding one hundred percent.

Chancellor is concerned about high tariffs

A possible 30 percent tariff on imports of goods from the European Union to the United States would hit Germany hard, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told ARD. He plans to continue negotiations with Washington in the coming weeks.

He said he spoke by phone with European Commission President von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend, and with US President Trump on Friday. According to Merz, the negotiations now need"unity of the European Union" and "reasonable" talks with the US president.