”After several weeks of negotiations between the USA and the EU, the American administration chooses to unilaterally introduce 30-percent tariffs against the EU", writes the Prime Minister and regrets the American message. He then writes that the government supports the EU Commission's desire to find a negotiated solution.
”The EU is prepared to respond with tough countermeasures if necessary. But everyone will lose in an escalated trade conflict, and it is the US consumers who will pay the highest price. Sweden stands up for free trade and international cooperation”, Kristersson writes last.
Dousa: Significant escalation
Benjamin Dousa sees the message as a significant escalation from the USA's side, and ”contributes to uncertainty”.
It is very unclear what the USA really wants to achieve with all this, says Dousa to TT.
Just like Kristersson, Dousa repeats that Sweden and the EU are ready to respond with countermeasures but that they hope to be able to negotiate their way to a solution. At the same time, he emphasizes that the negotiations have been anything but easy since the parties want different things.
There are no strong free trade friends in the White House, they want tariffs, we want as low tariffs as possible.
The EU can become the winner
But despite the Americans being responsible for the escalation, according to Dousa, he believes that it is they themselves who will be the biggest losers in this scenario since the USA will no longer be seen as a credible and reliable partner in trade issues.
In the long term, Europe can come out as the winner from this, if we also sign new free trade agreements and open new routes for our companies, says Dousa.
On Monday, the EU's trade ministers will meet in Brussels to discuss how they will handle the situation ahead.
