Overview
- President Trump plans a 10% import tariff from February 1, rising to 25% on June 1, targeting the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Finland and Denmark to press for U.S. control of Greenland.
- EU coordination has accelerated with an emergency meeting of ambassadors, finance ministers convening in Brussels, and European Council leaders set for an extra summit on Thursday.
- Options under consideration include activating the EU anti-coercion instrument and deploying a pre-prepared counter-tariff list reported at about €93 billion.
- Dutch foreign minister David van Weel labeled the move “blackmail” and finance minister Eelco Heinen called it unnecessary and irresponsible, urging rapid de-escalation while keeping all response options on the table.
- The eight targeted countries issued a joint statement warning of a damaging downward spiral, expressing full solidarity with Denmark and Greenland, while the Dutch military chief urged avoiding a NATO rift and noted no sign of a direct threat to Greenland.