EU-US Relations May Face Permanent Changes, Says von der Leyen

Rome: Relations between the European Union and the United States may never be the same again following the policies adopted by President Donald Trump’s administration, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Rome on Thursday. “We are working tirelessly to find an initial understanding with the U.S. to keep tariffs as low as possible and to provide the stability that businesses need,” von der Leyen told the seventh Franco-Italian Confindustria-Mefed Economic Forum.

According to Ansa News Agency, von der Leyen emphasized the detrimental impact of tariffs, describing them as a burden on industries and individuals. She expressed a pragmatic view, acknowledging that the relationship with the U.S. might not return to its previous state. “We believe that tariffs are a loss for everyone. A tax on industry. A tax on people,” she stated. “But we are not naive either: we know that the relationship with the U.S. may never go back to what it used to be.”

Von der Leyen highlighted the EU’s efforts to strengthen and diversify its trade relations, noting that 80% of the EU’s trade is now with partners other than the U.S. She also addressed concerns about the EU’s commitment to its Green Deal, clarifying that the administration is not backtracking on its climate goals. “I would like to be clear about the spirit of our simplification efforts,” she said. “Our climate goals remain unchanged because investment planning needs predictability, not political zigzags. But there is a difference between setting clear targets and overburdening companies with red tape.”