The European Union’s Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom on Tuesday said bike manufacturing company Harley-Davidson’s decision to shift some of its production units out of the United States was a natural consequence of a protectionist American trade policy, reported AFP.
“We don’t want to punish, but that is the unfortunate consequence, that [US companies] will put pressure on the American administration,” she said at a press briefing in Brussels.
US President Donald Trump criticised Harley-Davidson on Monday for shifting some of its units out of the country in response to Europe’s new tariffs on motorcycle imports. The decision is a blow to the Trump administration, which has defended its decision to impose tariffs on the EU as part of a strategy to boost jobs in the US.
The European countermeasures to Trump’s 25% import tariff on steel and 10% on aluminium did not specifically target companies, but some sectors were chosen by Brussels for their symbolism.
Malmstrom also said that the EU is preparing a set of measures to protect its steel and aluminium producers following US imposing hefty tariffs on imports, according to CNBC. These measure could be announced by mid-July, she said.
“We are working very closely with the industry to see whether steel or aluminium intended for the US market is coming to Europe and whether that is affecting the market, dumping prices and so on,” Malmstrom said.
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