EU Tries to Bridge Divisions Over Trump’s Tariffs

Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

EU trade ministers will seek today to narrow their differences over countering Donald Trump’s escalating tariff war, which has ravaged global markets. With no sign that the US president might back down, the bloc may explore concessions, even as it works to finalize retaliatory steps to strengthen its hand at the negotiating table and be ready to hit back if talks fail. France has suggested one response could be regulating the use of data by big American tech platforms. But some European officials are concerned a tit-for-tat trade conflict is unavoidable. Part of the problem is that the Trump team doesn’t know what it wants, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic told envoys Friday in a closed-door meeting, we’re told. After speaking with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the need to work with partners to navigate a “major turning point.” And while she reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to engaging in negotiations, she made clear that the bloc is ready to defend its interests.