Ane Barcos
European Council President António Costa has called an extraordinary meeting of the European Council for Thursday in response to recent announcements by US President Donald Trump regarding the imposition of tariffs on several European countries.
The measure, which Trump announced Saturday on his social media platform Truth Social, will begin on February 1, 2026, with a 10% tariff on goods exported by Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland. This has generated an immediate response from European authorities.
The US president also detailed that the tariff will increase to 25% on June 1, 2026, and will remain in place until an agreement is reached for the purchase of Greenland. This announcement introduces the practice of using trade as an instrument of territorial pressure, a strategy that calls into question the traditional consensus of the liberal international system.
In response, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and António Costa issued a joint statement emphasizing that “territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law.” Both leaders warned that implementing the tariffs “would undermine transatlantic relations and could trigger a dangerous downward spiral.”
Costa issued a second statement on Sunday detailing the consultations held with the European Union member states, reaffirming the “firm commitment” to unity in defending international law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. He also underscored support for Denmark and Greenland and highlighted the importance of transatlantic cooperation on peace and security issues in the Arctic, especially within the context of NATO.
Costa indicated that the European Union shares the assessment that the tariffs proposed by Trump “would undermine transatlantic relations and are incompatible with the EU-US trade agreement.”
He also emphasized the EU’s readiness to defend itself against any form of coercion, while reiterating Europe’s commitment to continue collaborating constructively with the United States on all matters of common interest.
In order to improve coordination and jointly assess the next steps, Costa decided to convene an extraordinary meeting of the European Council to address the tensions generated by the new trade measures and their impact on transatlantic relations.
