After a round of contacts with all the capitals, the president of the European Council, António Costa, has announced that he is preparing a extraordinary summitwhich could be celebrated on January 22, with the aim of raising a common defense against “any form of coercion”. “Europe will not allow itself to be blackmailed,” assures the Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen.
The clearest sign of this hardening would be unprecedented. European leaders are considering activating for the first time the Instrument against Economic Coercion, the commercial bazooka approved in 2023 in order to stand up to China’s economic bullying. The regulation was adopted in response to the punitive measures that Beijing had taken against Lithuania for opening a diplomatic office in Taiwan.
Now, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has asked his partners unleash this bazooka against a historic ally like the United Statesas reported this Sunday by the Elysee Palace. The European Parliament also demands from Ursula von der Leyen a forceful response that includes the so-called ‘nuclear option‘.
“The Anti-Coercion Instrument, designed precisely for these cases, must be used now. I urge the European Commission to activate it immediately,” he claimed. the president of the International Trade commission of the European Parliament, the German Bernd Lange.
“Activation of the EU Anti-Coercion Instrument should be explicitly considered, as it was designed precisely to address situations of economic intimidation of this nature“, agrees the president of the liberal group, the french Valerie Hayer.
It is trade defense mechanism puts in the hands of the EU a full arsenal of economic retaliation. It’s not just about tariffs: it also includes restrictions on access to services, with which it would hit the American digital giants.
Brussels could also exclude United States companies from public contractslimit direct investment, cut intellectual property rights and even impose restrictions on the financial sector, including banking and access to European capital markets.
The ‘Grand Coalition’ of the European Parliament – popular, socialists and liberals – has also frozen this weekend the ratification of the trade agreement signed in July in Scotland by the US president and Von der Leyen. “Given Donald Trump’s threats regarding Greenland, approval is not possible right now,” argues EPP head Manfred Weber.
This pact was already classified as capitulation at the time.: The EU accepted a general 15% tariff while completely eliminating tariffs on all US industrial products. But that commercial advantage for North American companies will now remain a dead letter.
The ambassadors of the 27 in Brussels held an emergency meeting this Sunday to coordinate the response to Trump’s threats on Greenland. However, no concrete results have been achieved: The crisis has escalated so much that it can only be resolved at the highest political level.
Of course, diplomats have discussed the possibility of reactivating 30% tariffs against US products worth 93 billion euros, according to the Financial Times. These surcharges were already approved in July of last year, but they ended up shelving after the trade pact between Trump and Von der Leyen in Scotland.
For his part, the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Ruttestill hopes to dissuade Trump from military intervention in Greenland. An aggression that according to European leaders would mean the immediate end of the Atlantic Alliance. Until now, the Dutchman has at all times avoided criticizing the tenant of the White House or supporting Denmark.
“I have spoken with the president of the United States about the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic. We will continue working on this issue, and I hope to meet him in Davos later this week“, Rutte wrote on his social network account. President Von der Leyen also hopes to meet Trump in Davos to reduce tension.
In addition to Rutte, also the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmerspoke this Sunday with Trump, to whom he conveyed his rejection of a trade war over Greenland. “Security in the Arctic is a priority for all NATO allies in order to protect Euro-Atlantic interests,” he told him.
The eight countries threatened by Trump for having sent soldiers to Greenland have published a joint statement this Sunday in which they denounce a “dangerous spiral” that “undermines transatlantic relations”. The declaration is signed by Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The US president has announced a 10% tariff against them starting February 1, which will rise to 25% starting June 1, and will be in effect “until an agreement is reached for the complete and complete acquisition of Greenland.” He accuses them of having introduced “a level of risk that is neither acceptable nor sustainable” with the deployment of troops.
“As members of NATO, we are committed to strengthening security in the Arctic as a shared transatlantic interest. The Danish exercise Arctic Endurancecarried out together with allies, responds to this need. “It does not represent any threat to anyone,” the European allies respond in their statement.
These countries also reiterate their “full solidarity” with Denmark and Greenland and demand that Trump respect “the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, which we firmly defend.”
“Tariff threats undermine transatlantic relations and could trigger a dangerous spiral. We will continue united and coordinated in our response. We are committed to defending our sovereignty,” the statement concludes.