EU should get tough on trade if Trump wins, says leading lawmaker

If Donald Trump wins today’s election and carries through on his pledges to impose tariffs the EU needs to hit back with countermeasures and remain unified, Italian socialist MEP Brando Benifei tells Radio Schuman today.

Trump’s proposed 10% levy on EU goods could severely impact Europe’s export-dependent sectors, particularly automotive and machinery industries in countries like Germany, Italy, and Ireland. Benifei is a member of the parliamentary committee responsible for trade (INTA) and the head of the European Parliament delegation to the US.

We also check in on the hearings for Commission nominees, focusing on Maroš Šefčovič, the designated EU Trade Commissioner at a time when the bloc faces potential trade conflicts with China and the US.

Šefčovič emphasised the EU’s commitment to avoiding trade wars, rebalancing relations with China, and cooperating with whichever candidate wins the US election.