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21:03 GMT
BRUSSELS, March 1 (KUNA) -- The EU expressed regret Thursday over the announcement by US President Donald Trump earlier on the imposition of additional import duties on EU exports of steel and aluminum to the United States. The import duties are set at 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum.
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, in a first reaction said, "we strongly regret this step, which appears to represent a blatant intervention to protect US domestic industry and not to be based on any national security justification."
"We will not sit idly while our industry is hit with unfair measures that put thousands of European jobs at risk. The EU would react adequately and that's what we will do. The EU will react firmly and commensurately to defend our interests. The Commission will bring forward in the next few days a proposal for WTO-compatible countermeasures against the US to rebalance the situation, "he said in a statement tonight.
On her part, EU Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom warned "these US measures will have a negative impact on transatlantic relations and on global markets." (end)
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