The European Union could implement tariffs on U.S. goods as soon as Feb. 7, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday (Jan. 19), citing a European Commission spokesman.
The EU approved the tariffs in July 2025 but paused their implementation for six months as the EU continued negotiating a trade deal with the U.S., according to the report.
The suspension of the tariffs is set to automatically lapse in February, the report said.
The tariffs would cover about $108 billion worth of U.S. goods each year, per the report.
The WSJ noted that the spokesman’s comment came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to impose 10% tariffs on goods from several European countries as part of an attempt to purchase Greenland.
Trump said in a Saturday (Jan. 17) post on Truth Social that the U.S. will impose a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland after those countries “journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown.”
Reuters reported Thursday (Jan. 15) that those countries sent troops to Greenland to support Denmark amid discussions between that country, Greenland and the U.S. about the status of Greenland.
In his Saturday post, Trump said that Greenland is vital to the national security of the U.S. and the world, and that only the U.S. can protect Greenland from China and Russia.
Trump added that the European countries’ journey to Greenland created a “very dangerous situation,” and that the U.S. would impose a 10% tariff beginning Feb. 1 and a 25% tariff beginning June 1.
“This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” Trump said in his post.
European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday in a joint statement that the exercise in Greenland is meant to strengthen Arctic security and that the EU supports Denmark and Greenland.
“Tariffs would undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral,” they said in the joint statement. “Europe will remain united, coordinated and committed to upholding its sovereignty.”
