Multiple European and American countries speak out on the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs

According to Agence France-Presse on February 20, Trump’s tariff policy suffered a major blow from the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday. Major U.S. trading partners welcomed the decision but also expressed caution. The Supreme Court found most of the tariff policy to be unlawful, rejecting the so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” but did not cancel tariffs on certain specific industries. Trump stated that he will impose a 10% tariff on “global” imports.

·European Union

“We have taken note of this decision and will analyze it carefully,” said EU Commission spokesperson Oluf Gyll.

He stated, “Businesses on both sides of the Atlantic rely on the stability and predictability of trade relations. That is why we continue to advocate for low tariffs and efforts to reduce taxes.”

·France

French Economy Minister Roland Lescure responded that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision indicates that tariffs “are still a topic that needs to be discussed.”

He said, “We also see that the U.S. trade deficit remained high last year. This also shows that there is no magical revenue as hoped. Now, we need to see what consequences this will bring in the future.”

Regarding whether the U.S. might refund tariffs already paid, Lescure stated, “This will have to be addressed by the U.S. government, especially the judiciary, to determine how to proceed.”

·United Kingdom

“We will work with the U.S. government to understand how this decision will affect tariffs on the UK and other parts of the world,” the UK government said in a statement.

The statement also noted, “The UK receives the lowest reciprocal tariffs globally. Whatever happens, we look forward to maintaining our priority trade relationship with the U.S.”

·Canada

Canadian Foreign Minister of Trade, Dominique LeBlanc, said that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision “solidifies Canada’s position” that these tariffs are “unfair.”

He posted on social platform X that Canada will continue negotiations with the U.S. because Canadian businesses are still impacted by these tariffs, which involve many key industries.

·Mexico

“First, we need to see what measures he (Trump) will take, then we can determine how it will affect us,” said Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

·Germany

A German government spokesperson stated that Berlin is maintaining “close contact” with Washington. The spokesperson said in a statement, “Berlin is aware of the Supreme Court’s decision. We are in close contact with the U.S. government to clarify what needs to be done next to ensure the stability and predictability of trade relations.”

(Source: Caixin Global)