EU Can Negotiate on Tariffs with US

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union can negotiate on reciprocal tariffs with the United States, but it will not relinquish its rights to regulate in areas such as taxation and digital platforms, according to Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament’s trade committee, on Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump has tasked his economics team with creating plans for reciprocal tariffs on any country imposing tariffs on U.S. imports, targeting value-added and digital services taxes on U.S. companies.

Bernd Lange, a member of the German Social Democrats, believes the EU and the U.S. could realistically discuss import tariff rates.

> “On the pure tariffs, we can discuss. And perhaps we can discuss also buying some American products like LNG or whatever,” Lange stated.

However, he emphasized,
> “the legislation and the right to legislate inside the European Union in the interest of the consumer and the people is not on the negotiating table.”

Lange warned that undue U.S. pressure to alter EU laws could prompt the EU to leverage its Anti-Coercion Instrument, which includes various countermeasures, such as limiting trade in services, where the U.S. has a trade surplus.

A White House fact sheet criticized Canada and France for their taxes on digital service operators. U.S. Vice President JD Vance remarked that “massive” EU regulations on artificial intelligence could hinder technological advancement. The White House further highlighted the disparity between EU tariffs on car imports (10%) and the U.S. rate (2.5%).

Lange stressed the importance of evaluating the auto sector as a whole, noting that while the U.S. has a lower rate for cars, it imposes a 25% duty on light-duty trucks, which include pick-ups, vans, and SUVs.

> “In the United States, these are the most sold vehicles… We have to put everything on the table,” Lange concluded.