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The European Union is planning to strike the Silicon Valley with reprisals if Donald Trump continues threats to a tariff on the mass, in the first use of the Bazoka “Bazoka” that can withdraw services into a commercial war.
Two officials who have plans, allowing the European Union to target American service industries such as major technology, said that the European Commission is looking to use the so -called “anti -sustenance tool” in a possible conflict with Washington.
“All options are on the table,” said an official.
The tool, which was placed during Trump's first term and later used as a deterrent against China, allows the European Union's executive to impose restrictions on commerce In services if you decide that the country uses definitions on goods to impose changes in politics.
Officials said Trump's threat to use the customs tariff to force Denmark to hand over Greenland and pressure the European Union to drop enforcement measures against American technology companies.
It was called “Bazooka” by some European Union officials when it is It entered into force in 2023, The ACI allows the mass to choose from a wide range of reprisals, such as canceling the protection of intellectual property rights or their commercial exploitation, for example downloading programs and broadcasting services.
The European Union is also allowed to prohibit foreign direct investment or restrict access to markets for banking and insurance services and other financial services companies.
Another official warned that although the European Union was mastered in dealing with the customs tariff for goods, it still could extend to expanding a dispute in new areas, including services and intellectual property rights.
Trump said last week that he was “will” at all “a tariff for the European Union, citing Brussels against American technology companies and its large commercial deficit in goods. It has not been given details of when the measures will be adopted or whether the bloc can negotiate the recycling process, such as Canada and Mexico have obtained.
The European Union trade ministers met on Tuesday in Warsaw to discuss his threats. The officials who were briefed on closed discussions said that the majority expressed its support for punitive work if necessary.
Trade Commissioner Maroš šefčovič said that he wants to negotiate a way to avoid definitions, but added: “If we are beaten, we will interact firmly.”
Šefčovič pointed out that the bloc suffers from a large deficit with the United States in services although it has a surplus in goods.
Some member states are careful not to fight a commercial war when economic growth is very weak. “We want to tire,” said a diplomat in the European Union.
Any revenge must be proportional and the committee will have to provide evidence of the damage to the European Union industries. You should also seek approval from at least 15 member states. Consultations can take several weeks; The last retaliatory tariff imposed on the United States in 2018 lasted for three months to adopt it.
In contrast, Canada and Mexico announced revenge measures last week within hours of Washington's decision to impose a tariff of up to 25 percent.
Trump then suspended the customs tariff for both countries, in exchange for cutting obligations to immigrants and drug trafficking.
Laurent Saint Martin, France's Minister of Commerce, told the Financial Times that despite ACI, the European Union may need faster reprition measures. “The speed is one of the main problems, we must be ready faster than the last time. We must be more challenging and faster.”
In March 2018, Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. The European Union took three months to approve it Revenge measures On 2.8 billion euros of American goods.
The European Union diplomat said that the bloc can move quickly in a crisis, adding: “Look at our response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine or the roaming epidemic.”
