<\/p>\n
Donald Trump\u2019s threat to impose fresh tariffs on eight European countries<\/a> \u2013 UK, Norway and six EU member states \u2013 is a wrecking ball to the carefully stitched deals he concluded with those countries last summer.<\/p>\n It also disregards the fact that individual member states do not have individual trade deals with the US. All EU international trade deals are conducted centrally through Brussels, as was the case with last summer\u2019s deal.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the European Council said on Saturday evening they were coordinating a joint response to Trump\u2019s latest missive, but the Swedish prime minister has already rejected the US president\u2019s threats. Ulf Kristersson said that \u201conly Denmark and Greenland<\/a> decide questions that concern them\u201d.<\/p>\n The UK\u2019s trade deal<\/a>, as it was described last May, is in fact a thin tariff deal on a limited number of products \u2013 cars, beef, aerospace, ethanol and steel \u2013 with a 10% tariff deal on other exports ranging from salmon to bone china.<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s deal<\/a> is broader but also has a carve-out for cars and a 15% all-inclusive deal on most other products including wine and spirits.<\/p>\n Businesses have been forced to absorb the 10% tariff or pass it on to US customers. A further 10% tariff on top of the existing tariffs will hit US consumers even harder.<\/p>\n The latest threat will be seen as another attempt by a man \u2013 sometimes ally, sometimes adversary \u2013 desperate to win an argument, using one of his favourite weapons. It will also be seen as an attempt to divide Europe<\/a> and quash their opposition to his Greenland takeover ambition.<\/p>\n Both the EU and the UK are in the middle of sensitive negotiations to reduce tariffs he has already imposed, particularly on steel, which are rated at 25% for British exports and 50% for EU products.<\/p>\n Saturday\u2019s threat underlines the unstable nature of any deal with Trump.<\/p>\n Late last year the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, warned there would no deal on reducing steel tariffs unless the EU rolled back on tech laws. This is despite the EU and the US\u2019s common interest in forming a club to fight cheaper Chinese imports.<\/p>\n