EU-US trade: Preserving the consumer interest

Tariffs are not directly paid by consumers, but they can lead to increased prices for consumers and reduced choices. At a time of cost-of-living crisis in Europe, consumers are concerned about the impact of tariffs in their daily lives. While we understand the need for the EU to react to the threat of coercive tariffs by the United States, it will be important to protect consumers from economic harm. The EU will also need to prevent any trade-offs in a potential deal with the US which could weaken protections for consumers. This will be particularly important in the areas of food safety, sustainability, digital and competition policies.