Trade unions are calling on the European Commission to ensure that the latest US tariff announcement does not result in job losses in the affected sectors.
The tariffs pile further pressure on workers in industries already facing high energy costs, fragile supply chains and geopolitical uncertainty. New or escalating US tariffs would directly impact key European sectors, threatening jobs, investment and industrial resilience across the EU.
The EU must respond in a firm, proportionate and united manner. Where necessary, it must be ready to deploy its full range of trade defence instruments, including the Anti-Coercion Instrument, to protect European workers and industries from unfair or politically motivated trade measures.
At the same time, this episode underlines the urgent need to reduce strategic dependencies and strengthen Europe’s open strategic autonomy. A “Made in Europe” approach that delivers quality jobs, backed by an ambitious industrial policy, substantial investments, and robust social conditionalities, is essential to secure Europe’s economic future. Crisis management tools to protect jobs and production in sectors under threat should be urgently introduced building on the model of the SURE instrument. This is particularly important to deal with trade disruptions. In setting monetary policy, the ECB should bear the substantial appreciation of the euro against the dollar (around 14% since the start of 2025) in mind and consider lowering rates to avoid further appreciation and sustain demand generally.
Rather than entering a new spiral of trade conflict, the EU should defend its interests while accelerating investment in domestic clean industry, resilient supply chains and workers’ rights. Europe’s response must protect jobs, strengthen strategic sectors and ensure that the green and digital transitions deliver for working people.
ETUC General Secretary Esther Lynch said:
“Europe must respond in a firm, proportionate and united manner. Fragmentation would only weaken our position and expose workers and industries to greater instability. The EU has the tools to defend itself, including its trade defence instruments, and it should not hesitate to use them where necessary.
"SURE 2.0 crisis management tools must be urgently introduced to protect jobs and production in sectors under threat. Defending open trade does not mean accepting unfair measures. It means standing up for European jobs, strategic sectors and reliable trade.”
ETUC Deputy General Secretary Claes-Mikael Stahl said:
“The EU has already replaced one energy dependency with another; it must now double down on a just transition and wean itself off energy imports. The EU must not shy away from using all the trade tools at its disposal, including the trade bazooka.
"The European Parliament was right to halt approval of the preferential tariff treatment to US goods agreed in the EU-US deal in the summer until the US upholds its end of the bargain and starts acting like a reliable trade partner."
