While aware of the economic impact of US tariffs on EU goods, a YouGov study finds that a vast majority of European citizens support retaliatory measures in the escalating trade dispute between Brussels and Washington.
As Washington prepares to unleash a further swathe of trade measures on 2 April with reciprocal tariffs, a majority of EU citizens across Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden support imposing retaliatory measures on US imports, according to a YouGov survey published on Tuesday.
More than two-thirds, 69% of citizens across these six major EU economies said they back such countermeasures, Danish respondents showing the strongest backing, with 79% in favour of countermeasures, while Italians were least supportive at 59%.
The results highlight mounting European frustration over US trade policies, as citizens anticipate significant economic repercussions for their own countries.
Germans, whose powerful automotive sector is set to bear the brunt of the 25% US tariffs on cars, foresee a major impact on their national economy. According to the survey, 75% believe the tariffs will have either a lot or fair amount of impact, with 31% expecting “a lot” of impact specifically.
70% of the French are also pessimistic over the impact of US tariffs on EU goods on their country’s economy, the study found. France has been particularly vulnerable, especially after Donald Trump threatened to impose 200% tariffs on wines and spirits. The move has sparked concern among French producers and exporters, who fear a severe blow to one of France’s most emblematic industries.
The survey found exactly the same proportion of Italians – 70% – think US tariffs on EU goods will have a major impact on their economy, despite showing lower support for retaliation measures.
The European Commission announced a range of countermeasures on a range of US goods after US tariffs on steel and aluminium came into force.
Italian Prime minister Giorgia Meloni urged caution in Europe’s response to US tariffs. “Of course there are differences on the table on tariffs, but precisely for this reason I also think that we should not act on impulse but in a reasoned way,” she said during a meeting with opposition MPs on 29 March.
Europeans also indicated they don’t buy US President Donald Trump’s narrative that the EU treats the US unfairly due to its tariffs on cars and trade surplus, with from 40% to 67% saying the bloc has been fair in its trade relations with Washington.
Last week Washington announced 25% tariffs on cars imports, in response, Brussels has vowed “calibrated” countermeasures once the tariffs take effect on Wednesday and after US reciprocal duties – the full scope of which remains uncertain – are disclosed.
For this study, a total of 7,300 citizens were surveyed across six European countries.
