EU to push for deal ahead of Trump deadline on tariffs, says Von der Leyen.

Macron expresses ‘very strong disapproval’, Meloni warns against ‘polarisations that would make reaching an agreement more complex’

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen: 'We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This remains the case and we will use the time that we have now till the first of August.' Photograph: Pascal Bastien/AP

The European Union will use the time it has until an August 1st deadline to push for a tariff deal with the United States, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said.

The head of the EU’s powerful executive arm was speaking after US president Donald Trump announced he would levy tariffs of 30 per cent on nearly all trade coming from the EU from the start of next month.

Speaking in Brussels on Sunday, Ms von der Leyen said commission negotiators would keep pushing for an EU-US deal that suspended those threatened higher tariffs rates.

“We have always been very clear that we prefer a negotiated solution. This remains the case and we will use the time that we have now till the first of August,” Ms von der Leyen said.

An initial set of EU counter-tariffs on €21 billion worth of US trade that had been due to kick in on Monday after a 90-day pause, will be kept on hold until early August, she said.

A second, larger set of retaliatory tariffs that would hit about €70 billion worth of US trade was also ready to go if needed, the commission president said.

 “We have prepared for this and we can respond with counter-measures if necessary,” she said.

The use of the EU’s anti-coercion instrument, which would give the commission wide ranging powers to target US multinational companies, such as tech and social media firms, was reserved for an “extraordinary situation,” she said.

“We are not there yet,” the German politician said. “This is now the time for negotiations but this also shows we are prepared for all eventual scenarios.”

Mr Trump’s threat on Saturday to place a 30 per cent tariff on goods from the European Union caused outrage among European leaders, with some urging retaliatory tariffs while others said they hoped a deal could still be worked out before the new levies went into effect.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said said the Government has supported the European Union in its strategy of “de-escalation” and “not overreacting to every announcement that gets made”.

“Europe has counter measures ready but Europe prefers a negotiated approach to this. But nearly 30 per cent is not sustainable or tenable in any shape or form,” he said.