Macron warns EU may use anti-coercion tool against US tariffs

French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a firm warning that the European Union must be prepared to use its trade defense instruments against the United States if Washington proceeds with tariff threats related to Greenland. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Macron framed the potential U.S. action as economic coercion that demands a united European response.

A Direct Threat to Activate New EU Tool

Macron explicitly referenced the EU's anti-coercion mechanism, a policy adopted in 2023 designed to counter economic intimidation. "We can be put in a situation to use the anti-coercion mechanism for the very first time, vis-à-vis the United States, if they impose additional tariffs," he stated, adding, "Can you imagine that? This is crazy." He described the instrument as "powerful" and urged that Europe "should not hesitate to deploy it in today's tough environment."

Response to US Tariff Ultimatum on Greenland

The warning is a direct reaction to U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of planned tariffs on goods from several European nations, including Denmark, France, and Germany. The tariffs, slated to start at 10% on February 1 and rise to 25% in June, were explicitly linked by Trump to securing a deal for the U.S. purchase of Greenland. Macron condemned this linkage, stating that using tariffs as leverage against territorial sovereignty is "fundamentally unacceptable" and represents a "law of the strongest" approach.

Call for Firmness and a Broader Critique

While advocating for a calm and firm stance, Macron argued Europe must protect itself from "useless aggressiveness and unpredictability." He also offered a broader critique of U.S. trade objectives, suggesting some agreements seek to "weaken and subordinate" Europe. Despite the sharp rhetoric, he called for closer transatlantic cooperation to address economic imbalances with China, warning that trade wars and protectionism "only produce losers." The EU's anti-coercion mechanism allows for retaliatory measures against countries using trade restrictions to politically pressure member states.