WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. businesses in Europe are dismayed by President Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union.
They're worried it could spark a trade war.
Susan Danger is CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU. She says U.S. companies in Europe are opposed to Washington's trade move.
She says American businesses in Europe "are very concerned by the damage a tit-for-tat dispute would cause to the trans-Atlantic economy and its impact on jobs, investment and security across the Atlantic."
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says there will be a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum.
France says it's working with Germany and European authorities for a "firm and united response" to new U.S. tariffs.
An adviser to French President Emmanuel Macron tells The Associated Press that France is "extremely mobilized" for a response. But the adviser isn't elaborating.
Macron argued against the tariffs when he met with Trump in Washington last month. Macron gave an impassioned speech on Wednesday against trade penalties and said they hurt jobs and consumers
Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom says the European Union "did everything to avoid this outcome."
She says that during talks with Washington, "the U.S. has sought to use the threat of trade restrictions as leverage to obtain concessions from the EU."
And here's how Malmstrom puts it: "This is not the way we do business, and certainly not between long-standing partners, friends and allies."
She says the EU will now impose "rebalancing measures" on U.S. products.
Britain says it's "deeply disappointed" by the U.S. decision.
The government says "the U.K. and other European Union countries are close allies of the U.S. and should be permanently and fully exempted" from the tariffs.
In a statement, the British government says it has "made clear to the U.S. government at the highest levels the importance of U.K. steel and aluminum to its businesses and defense projects." It says it will work with the EU and U.S. administration to achieve a permanent exemption.
Britain voted in 2016 to leave the EU but remains a member until the official exit day of March 29, 2019.
Mexico says it will answer tariffs on steel and aluminum with duties of its own on a variety of U.S. products.
Mexico says it will impose tariffs on U.S. imports including pork bellies, apples, grapes, cheeses and flat steel among other things.
A statement from Mexico's economy ministry says the U.S. use of a national security justification is improper and that the tariffs affect strategic sectors for North America, including automotive, aerospace and electronics.
Trump announced the tariffs in March, but gave exemptions to the European Union, Mexico and Canada.
