Bart De Wever: "An opportunity for Europe"

According to Prime Minister Bart De Wever, the American tariffs could also be an opportunity for Europe to make tough decisions that have been postponed for years — such as deepening the European single market. “In life, it’s often the case that when you’re put under intense external pressure, you tend to come together,” De Wever said in Villa Politica.

He called the import tariffs imposed by U.S. President Trump a disaster for the global economy. “We’ll become poorer, Inflation The increase in the general price level. The original meaning (literally “to blow up”) is monetary inflation, which means that the amount of money increases. Today, inflation primarily refers to price inflation. This means an implicit monetary depreciation. This causes the purchasing power to drop. inflation will rise, prices will go up, economic activity will decline, innovation will stall… That’s simply what trade wars do in developed economies.”

Europe must look beyond national interests

Still, De Wever sees possibilities. “We can turn this into something positive for Europe — if we finally dare to make the decisions we’ve known for years we had to make, but which are often blocked by national interests. I’m thinking, for example, of further integration of the European single market. There’s huge economic potential to be unlocked there.”

“What’s more, a large part of the world — which still believes in multilateralism, rules, predictability and legal certainty — is now looking to Europe. If we can make progress on free trade agreements, we can open up new markets on both sides and benefit economically.”

Don’t meet folly with folly

De Wever prefers dialogue first, but doesn’t rule out a response. “I’ve already met with President von der Leyen to discuss a European countermeasure. That will likely come, but it has to remain proportionate. Wild, emotional reactions — like some parties here are proposing — would only make things worse for us.”

The principle of peace through strength — peace through (economic) strength — is now essential for Europe, De Wever concluded. “If we go begging at Washington’s doorstep, we won’t get very far.”

Unity across party lines

Axel Ronse, leader of the parliamentary group in the Chamber, confirmed in Villa Politica that no one wins in a trade war. “Apart from our neighboring countries, the U.S. is our most important trading partner. We export over 33 billion euros to America, so we really have to double down on economic diplomacy.”

Johan Van Overtveldt, group leader in the European Parliament, also calls for negotiations while strengthening the EU’s economic foundations.

“This American stance isn’t new, but it’s certainly reached unprecedented proportions under Trump II. Still, we mustn’t let it throw us off course. And let’s not forget: tariffs, from both an economic and historical point of view, always come back like a boomerang to hit the sender. It’s important that we stay calm and take initiative ourselves,” Van Overtveldt said.