Brussels, April 10, 2025 – The European Union slammed the brakes on its planned counter-tariffs Wednesday, mirroring President Donald Trump’s 90-day tariff pause for 75 nations—excluding China—after his 104% China levy sparked global jitters. EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis announced the hold, syncing with Trump’s Tuesday night rollback that kept India and others at 10%, while threatening China with 125% if talks falter by July.
“We’re aligning to de-escalate,” Dombrovskis told a Brussels presser, per NDTV, dodging a tit-for-tat spiral that’d hit US exports—think bourbon and Harley-Davidsons—with 25% duties. The EU’s $500 billion trade with the US hung in the balance after Trump’s April 5 global 10% tariff rattled markets (Reuters). Now, with China isolated at 104%, the bloc’s buying time—talks with US Trade Rep Katherine Tai are set for next week.
Markets exhaled—DAX climbed 0.5% Wednesday as Porsche and Airbus dodged a bullet (Bloomberg). Trump’s pause, a nod to allies post his “America First” hammer, follows India’s iPhone airlifts and trade deal push (Hindustan Times). But the EU’s not naive—China’s vowed retaliation, and 40% of EU tech imports ride on Beijing’s chips (Eurostat, 2024). “We’re watching all fronts,” Dombrovskis said, per The Indian Express.
For India, it’s a ripple—EU’s pause keeps export lanes open, but Trump’s wildcard looms. Posts on X hum with relief—one user quipped, “EU blinked, Trump smirked.” The bloc’s move echoes 2018’s trade truce, but this feels shakier—global supply chains are stretched thin. With Modi eyeing US gains and Xi bristling, can the EU’s timeout hold the line, or is it just a breather before the storm?
