On 20 January 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States. His presidency already has, and will continue to have, important implications for international trade. In particular, President Trump has directed his administration to determine how the US might impose ‘reciprocal tariffs’ and announced his intention to impose a 25% tariff on EU imports.

The EU has indicated that it will react “firmly and immediately to the US tariffs. In this briefing, we examine the two main tools the EU has at its disposal to respond to the Trump tariffs: (i) the EU’s Enforcement Regulation, and (ii) the EU’s Anti-Coercion Instrument.

Irrespective of the ultimate tariffs imposed by the US on EU imports and the EU’s chosen route of retaliation, these actions will have significant consequences for businesses involved in US – EU trade.