Published on
There is a famous joke from Soviet times. You turn on the radio and hear about Lenin. You open the newspaper and read about Lenin. You are terrified to open your fridge.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
These days, one could say the same about US President Donald Trump and his global tariffs.
Because after a US Supreme Court ruling last week called his tariffs unconstitutional, Trump simply doubled down and announced a new 15% import tax anyway.
So, what actually happened, and how will it affect you?
The Supreme Court ruled that the US Constitution grants the power of taxation solely to Congress, not to the president. By using emergency laws to tax the world, Trump overstepped his authority.
And for the EU, this creates chaos. Last summer’s still unratified EU-US trade deal capping tariffs at 15% is now in legal limbo.
With those powers voided, the European Commission is seeking clarity, as European companies could potentially receive billions in refunds for the tariffs they have already paid.
But here is the catch. This does not affect Trump’s older tariffs on steel, aluminium and cars, which relied on completely different laws.
So, back to that fridge joke: if these new tariffs hold, expect whatever the EU imports from the US to get more expensive.
But there is hope. Danish shoppers are now using a new app that scans products to help them easily find local alternatives to US imports.
Perhaps it is time for Europe to follow the famous motto: Improvise. Adapt. Overcome?
Watch the Euronews video in the player above for the full story.
