MNI: EU Liberation Day Retaliation May Take Time - EU Source

EU retaliation against the reciprocal tariffs to be announced by US President Trump in his 'Liberation Day" announcement later today may take about a month and a half to implement at the earliest. 

"It will take some time. First, the (European) Commission has to analyse the measures and impact, which will take a week at least, then consultations and the implementing act," a source close to EU trade policymakers said. 

The source said that this process would take until mid-May to June to conclude and to launch. 

Meanwhile, the Commission's response to the US steel and aluminum tariffs announced by Trump on March 12 should be finalised by mid-April. The EU is currently consulting stakeholders on retaliatory tariffs, which the Commission has said could target €18bn of US exports.    

While the EU's new Anti-Coercion Instrument is also being considered as part of the response to the looming reciprocal tariff announcement, the source stressed that the process of implementing the new trade tool is legally challenging and may require lengthy negotiations. (See MNI: EU Wields Anti-Coercion Tool, Aims At Trump Deal-Sources)