(Strasbourg) “In response to the imposition of new, unjustified US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium imports, the Commission has launched swift and proportionate countermeasures on US imports into the EU”. The EU countermove to the trade war waged on a large scale by the Trump administration, which is also affecting the EU27, was not long in coming. “The Commission regrets the US decision to impose such tariffs, considering them unjustified, disruptive to transatlantic trade, and harmful to businesses and consumers, often resulting in higher prices”, a statement reads. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is attending the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, added a personal remark: “The trade relations between the European Union and the US are the biggest in the world. They have brought prosperity and security to millions of people, and trade has created millions of jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. As of this morning, the United States is applying a 25% tariff on imports of steel and aluminium. We deeply regret this measure. Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and even worse for consumers. These tariffs are disrupting supply chains. They bring uncertainty for the economy. Jobs are at stake. Prices will go up. In Europe and in the United States”.