European leaders were angered and surprised on Saturday when U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would impose a new 10% tariff on imports from eight countries starting Feb. 1, citing disagreements over its approach to the "purchase" of Greenland.
Trump said the tariff would apply to all goods sent to the U.S. from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland.
The levy would rise to 25% from June 1 and will remain in place "until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland," he said in his post on Truth Social.
EU Council President Antonio Costa criticized Trump's threat. "If we want prosperity, we must open markets, not close them. We must create zones of economic integration, not raise tariffs," he said as he signed a free trade agreement between the EU and the South American trade bloc Mercosur in Paraguay.
"The EU has always been very determined in defending international law, and, of course, especially in the territory of a member state," he said when asked about Trump's planned tariffs.
Trump has repeatedly said he seeks to own Greenland, for what he sees as a guarantee of security in the Arctic, justifying his plans with security concerns about alleged threats from China and Russia in the region.
Largely autonomous Greenland is part of the territory of Denmark, a NATO member. With a population of just under 57,000, Greenland has said it does not wish to become part of the U.S.
NATO allies also say that Greenland does not need to be taken over by the U.S. to protect the Arctic.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Costa warned of the consequences after Trump's threatened levies.
"Tariffs would undermine trans-Atlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral. Europe will remain united, coordinated, and committed to upholding its sovereignty," the two said in posts on social media.
The EU had actually agreed on a deal with the U.S. last year in the customs dispute, which still has to be approved by the European Parliament. The deal foresaw a 15% U.S. customs duty on most European products.
Meanwhile, customs duties on U.S. industrial goods would be completely abolished, and barriers to the import of certain foods would be removed.
The leader of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, said that his group supports the tariff deal, but that approval is not possible at this time in view of Trump's threats. "The 0% tariffs on U.S. products must be suspended," he said.
Representatives of the EU member states are set to meet on Sunday for a special session after Trump's threat.
The Greek Cypriot administration said an extraordinary meeting at the ambassadorial level was convened for the afternoon in response to the latest U.S. announcements.
It remains unclear whether possible countermeasures will be discussed at Sunday's gathering.
The EU has an instrument to defend itself against trade pressure, a regulation applying in situations where a third country attempts to use trade measures to force the EU or a member state to make a certain decision.
The regulation allows for counter-tariffs and many other measures, though the instrument is only to be used as a last resort.
The threatened tariffs affect countries that recently sent soldiers on an exploratory mission to the Arctic island at the heart of the dispute.
Moreover, French minister said on Sunday that the U.S. also stands to lose if Trump implements threats to impose tariffs on European countries.
"In this escalation of tariffs, he has a lot to lose as well, as do his own farmers and industrialists," French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard told broadcasters Europe 1 and CNews, adding any U.S. takeover of the autonomous Danish territory would be "unacceptable."
Trump was angered by the European NATO members, who have sent soldiers to the Arctic island for a reconnaissance mission ahead of a military exercise.
In Saturday's post, the U.S. president strongly criticized the deployment.
"Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown," he wrote, describing this as "a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Planet."
But von der Leyen and Costa said the exercise was in line with the need to strengthen security in the Arctic and did not pose a threat to anyone.
"The EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Dialogue remains essential, and we are committed to building on the process begun already last week between the Kingdom of Denmark and the U.S.," they said in posts on X.
Earlier, the head of the Arctic Command, Soren Andersen, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) that the military exercise in Greenland was set to continue for several more months.
"What we are currently doing is planning a longer-term exercise, which will continue throughout 2026 and perhaps into 2027," he said.
"The Germans, as well as the Swedes and Norwegians, among others, are up here to explore the possibilities for joint training here," Andersen said.
The U.S. was also invited to "train up here," as were all NATO members, Andersen told dpa.
