EU's Trade Response: Carrot and Stick Approach to US Tariffs

As a response to the various tariffs imposed by the USA in the ongoing trade war, the EU has today presented a 218-page long list of goods that may be affected by countermeasures. The list is both a carrot and a stick, according to Foreign Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa (The Moderate Party).

» Published: May 08 2025

EU's Trade Response: Carrot and Stick Approach to US Tariffs
Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT

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Sweden and other EU member states must submit their comments on the list to the EU Commission by June 10 at the latest.

Benjamin Dousa says he has just received the list and has not had time to examine whether it contains any goods of particular importance to Sweden or Swedish interests.

Last time, when the list was shorter, we submitted five commodity codes that we wanted to have removed, and three were removed. We will act in the same way this time, i.e., carefully analyze with the help of our expert authority and submit what we want to have removed.

The Minister for Foreign Trade stresses that the EU list is not an escalation of the customs turmoil from the Union's side.

From Europe's side, we do not want to escalate the situation. One should remember that Europe has not raised a single tariff during these weeks. We have paused our countermeasures. It is the USA that has escalated this several times.

The EU's countermeasures are about one thing, says Benjamin Dousa – to put pressure on the American administration to hold serious talks.

Now we are proceeding with both carrot and stick. The stick in the form of that if we do not reach serious talks, we will proceed with countermeasures. And the carrot in the form of that we can consider lowering our own tariffs.

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By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

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