The European Commission is preparing member states for possible implementation of the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI) protective measures in trade competition with the USA due to imposed tariffs, reports Euronews, citing diplomatic sources.
Representatives of the European Commission have communicated to member states about the negotiations with the USA and noted that they are working on relevant measures aimed at US digital and financial services in case an agreement is not reached by August 1. These measures will allow the EU to limit access to public procurement and intellectual property from third countries.
These measures will allow the EU to limit access to public procurement, licenses, or intellectual property rights for services from a third country.
Negotiations between the EU and the USA have been ongoing for several months. Currently, the USA has imposed tariffs on imports from the EU and is discussing a potential baseline tariff of 15%. However, negotiations are still far from completion. The EU is preparing countermeasures in the event that the USA imposes tariffs, which will target goods from the USA.
Governments of the European Union are warning member states about the possibility of implementing protective measures if an agreement with the USA is not reached by the beginning of August. In this case, opportunities for American companies to operate in the EU will be limited, which could lead to an escalation of the trade conflict between the parties.