Trump Damaged Europe-U.S.Relations- EU Chief

The European Union’s Competition Commissioner has stated that former U.S. President Donald Trump disrupted the “trustful relationship” between the United States and Europe, emphasising that Brussels must prioritise providing the predictability and stability absent in Washington.

Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s second-highest-ranking official after President Ursula von der Leyen, said while Europe must engage in dialogue with the White House and consider its trade concerns, it should not be pressured into altering laws already approved by EU lawmakers.

“We need to stick to our strengths and principles,” she said in an interview in London on Monday, criticising Trump’s transactional approach to politics.

“We need to be flexible, but we cannot transact on human rights, nor are we going to transact on the unity of Europe, and we are not going to transact on democracy and values.”

Trump and other members of his government have criticised the European Union for having too many rules and characterised fines imposed on U.S. tech companies by the EU as a form of “taxation.”

Last week, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said European Union “commissars” were suppressing free speech due to clauses in the bloc’s Digital Services Act that give the EU powers in urgent situations to temporarily restrict access to an online platform or search engine.

“If there is a problem, a point of concern, please explain that. It is not like bullying—that you can expect to enter the negotiating table. That doesn’t make sense,” Ribera said.

Ribera has the power to approve or veto multi-billion euro mergers and also slap hefty fines on companies seeking to bolster their market power by throttling smaller rivals. She also oversees the EU’s green agenda and is tasked with keeping it on track to meet the bloc’s 2030 climate goals.

Tensions are running high between Washington and Brussels after Trump decided to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium from March 12, reciprocal tariffs from April, and separate tariffs on cars, pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips.

Ribera pointed to the lack of certainty and predictability across the Atlantic compared with Europe, saying that was not what business wanted in the long term.

“They want an ecosystem and a legal framework that provides certainty, stability and predictability, and I wonder why we do not hear this question being raised the other way around towards Trump’s administration.

“I don’t see any predictability, stability or affordability in these announcements; this is a little bit shocking.”

The EU Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 27-nation bloc, said last week it would react “firmly and immediately” against tariff increases threatened by Trump.

REUTERS