European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced today that the European Union has granted the United States a full exemption from customs duties on industrial goods, in an effort to avoid a trade war, IPN reports.

“We have proposed zero tariffs on industrial products. Europe is always open to reaching a fair deal with the U.S., but we are also prepared to respond with countermeasures and defend our interests in the face of Donald Trump’s trade offensive”, von der Leyen stated at a press conference, according to Reuters.

The EU is expected to introduce a broader package of countermeasures by the end of April in response to U.S. auto tariffs and so-called "reciprocal" measures.

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