### EU Prepares Swift Response to Trump's Steel Tariffs

The European Commission has stated it is ready to impose retaliatory measures in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of increased tariffs on steel and aluminum. Trump revealed on Friday that the tariffs would rise from 25 percent to 50 percent, set to take effect on June 4.

"The new tariffs add further uncertainty to the global economy and drive up costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic," the European Commission said in an emailed statement. The EU paused its own countermeasures on April 14 to allow for continued negotiations in good faith, but Trump's latest decision could force the EU to react.

Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament's trade committee, echoed the urgency for a swift response. "We have our countermeasures ready for these unjustified tariffs. If what has been announced becomes reality, we should apply these counter-tariffs immediately," Lange stated on Saturday via X, formerly known as Twitter.

Final consultations are ongoing within the European Commission to establish expanded countermeasures. If no mutually agreed solution is reached, these measures will automatically take effect on July 14, or potentially earlier under certain circumstances.

Complicating the issue is Trump's current legal battle in U.S. courts over his authority to impose such tariffs. Recent court rulings have challenged his use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act for imposing tariffs on various countries, though the tariffs remain in effect under a federal appeals court's temporary stay.

Amidst the legal battles, Trump administration officials have pledged to explore other mechanisms to maintain their tariff policies while they appeal the court's decisions.