President Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at US Steel-Irvin Works on May 30, 2025 in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
Jeff Swensen | Getty images
The European Union criticized President Donald Trump’s decision on Saturday to double the prices on steel imports, warning that it “undermines” the efforts to achieve a “negotiated solution” in the current trade war.
“We are firmly regretting the announced increase in American prices on steel imports from 25% to 50%,” EU spokesperson said in a press release at NBC News.
“This decision adds additional uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic,” said the spokesperson.
The spokesman added that the EU is “ready to impose countermeasures, including in response to the last increase in American prices”.
The United Steelworkers Union (USW) also criticized Trump’s announcement and said it was a “direct attack on Canadian industries and workers.”
“Thousands of Canadian jobs are at stake and the communities that depend on steel and aluminum are endangered,” said Marty Warren, National Director of United Steelworkers for Canada, in a statement.
“Canada must respond immediately and decisively to defend workers.”
Trump announced on Friday that he planned to double prices on 50%steel imports, compared to 25%, increasing pressure on manufacturers depending on industrial metals for production.
New import rights are expected to come into force on June 4.
His announcement, made during a rally in US Steel in Pennsylvania, intervened after the president reported earlier this month that he would approve a controversial agreement between Nippon Steel and US Steel.
Trump underlined an “agreement” between Japanese and US Steel at the Friday rally, but said that the agreement was not yet final.
He said that there would be no layoffs and “no outsourcing of what we would be achieved” due to the agreement.
The EU, who said that she had interrupted her countermeasures against the United States on April 14 “to grant time and space” for negotiations, said he was ready to install these measures “if no mutually acceptable solution is found”.
“The European Commission is currently finalizing consultations on extended countermeasures,” said the spokesperson. “If no mutually acceptable solution is found, existing and additional EU measures will automatically have effect on July 14 – or earlier, if circumstances require.”
The Trump administration’s pricing plan struck a hitch this week after the American international trade court interrupted almost all specific prices in the country of Trump on the grounds that he had exceeded his authority.
The court order to cancel the prices was quickly interrupted, at least for the moment, by a court of appeal.
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