<h1>EU Criticizes U.S. Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum, Plans Countermeasures to Protect Free Trade and Market Stability.</h1> The European Commission has pledged to respond decisively to the U.S. President's decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum, criticizing the move as detrimental to free trade. The Commission argues that such tariffs, deemed unjustified, disrupt global market efficiency and increase economic uncertainty. While the EU maintains low tariffs, it rejects the rationale for the U.S.'s increased tariffs on its exports. The EU previously retaliated against similar tariffs with increased duties on American goods and is considering countermeasures. The EU and U.S. engage in significant trade, with the EU holding a goods surplus and the U.S. a services surplus.