Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 9, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
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Europe can react to US tariffs within an hour, according to Germany's Scholz, emphasizing EU's readiness in trade matters.
BERLIN (Reuters) - Europe is prepared to respond "within an hour" if the United States levies tariffs against the European Union, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a pre-election debate with his conservative challenger Friedrich Merz.
Asked by a moderator if the EU had a "list of cruelties" with which to respond if the U.S. imposed tariffs, Scholz, well behind Merz in the polls, said: "Yes, to phrase it in the most cautious diplomatic way. We as the European Union can act within an hour."
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to enact tariffs against the U.S.'s largest trading partners, accusing them of free-riding on American prosperity. Trade policy is an EU competence, run by the European Commission in Brussels.
The election will take place on Feb. 23.
(Reporting by Thomas Escritt; editing by Maria Martinez)
The main topic is Europe's readiness to respond to potential US tariffs within an hour, as stated by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The EU has a prepared list of countermeasures that can be enacted swiftly in response to US tariffs.
Trade policy in the EU is managed by the European Commission in Brussels.
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