4 April 2025 - Response to the U.S. Trade War with Strategic Autonomy and Sustainability
The U.S. trade war confirms that the EU must invest in its future and autonomy. The U.S. government is shifting towards protectionism, making unilateral decisions that disrupt global economic stability. From tariffs on steel and aluminum, to yesterday’s arbitrary imposition of duties across multiple sectors, and even pressure on Denmark over Greenland, this policy has created uncertainty and puts Europe itself at risk of recession.
Volt calls on the European Commission to adopt a targeted strategy that:
Invests in Europe's autonomy in key technologies and raw materials.
Utilises the European Anti-Coercion Instrument to prevent economic blackmail by third countries.
Protects the European economy without sacrificing its ecological ambitions.
Employs the tools of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to counter unfair practices.
Enhances strategic investments in innovation, infrastructure and green transition.
Cyprus, as an EU member and a strategic hub for trade and energy, must support a united European response. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels - mostly imported from third countries like the U.S. and previously Russia - and strengthening energy autonomy, will make Europe stronger and more secure.
Europe’s response to the U.S. trade war should not be a return to protectionism, which would inevitably fuel nationalism, but rather the strengthening of an open, fair and sustainable trade system. Now is the time for a confident EU that ensures its resilience and promotes global cooperation.