News Investigators/ The German Government is concerned about the possible effects of planned U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on Germany’s export-oriented economy, a spokesman for the economy ministry told journalists on Monday.
The European Union (EU) and Berlin continue to work to prevent the 25 per cent tariffs, the spokesman said.
This was after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested on Sunday the tariffs would soon come into force.
“We are familiar with this scenario from President Trump’s first term in office,’’ said the spokesman, adding that preparations have been made in case the tariffs do come into effect.
During his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, the Trump administration also imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium from the EU.
The bloc responded with retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products such as jeans, bourbon whisky, motorcycles and peanut butter.
The spokesman noted that the EU had eventually managed to come to an agreement with Trump then, which led to a suspension of the tariffs.
When asked whether U.S. products such as motorcycles or whisky could be hit again this time, the spokesman said that there was no automatic mechanism based on last time’s experience.
Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said that “it will be unwise at this point to say exactly what is planned’’, noting that the EU is responsible for trade issues.
