European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union has developed a 'strong plan' to respond to any new American tariffs.

Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen expressed openness to negotiation but emphasized that the EU is prepared to take action should U.S. President Donald Trump carry out his threats to impose strict tariffs.

Von der Leyen acknowledged the concerns from American officials regarding perceived advantages gained by other countries through tariffs, agreeing that the EU is also affected by such measures.

She stated, 'Generalized tariffs will exacerbate the situation, not improve it,' highlighting that tariffs are a form of tax that citizens ultimately bear.

The European Commission President made it clear that Europe did not initiate this confrontation with the United States but intends to formulate a 'unified' response to new tariffs.

She confirmed that discussions with European leaders regarding subsequent steps have taken place.

Global attention is now focused on President Trump’s anticipated decision to impose 'reciprocal' tariffs across the board, with potentially immediate implementation scheduled.

Should this course of action be adopted, the U.S. would impose tariffs on all imported goods, mirroring the tariffs that exporting countries have placed on American products.

In a related development, UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds expressed the hope that any tariffs enforced by the U.S. could be rescinded quickly if a new economic partnership agreement is reached.

The UK has been striving to sidestep Trump’s comprehensive tariff plan by proposing alignment with Washington on sectors such as technology and artificial intelligence.

However, Reynolds indicated that Trump appears intent on levying tariffs on all nations before discussing individual exemptions.

Reynolds remarked to the BBC, 'I believe that a framework for an economic agreement certainly exists; we can sign the key terms in this regard and then discuss the specifics concerning the timeline that will satisfy the United States afterward.'

In a contrast to the EU and other major countries, the UK has refrained from implementing reciprocal tariffs in response to U.S. measures.

Reynolds noted that the UK is attempting to avoid escalation, emphasizing the support from British businesses for a 'calm approach.' Nonetheless, he acknowledged the presence of red lines in the negotiations, pointing out certain 'sensitive areas' that will not be addressed in discussions, such as food standards, while suggesting that the UK may have a greater chance of receiving exemptions than other nations.