European allies urge clarity as US court strikes down key Trump tariffs

European governments and industry groups reacted cautiously on February 20 after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down large parts of President Donald Trump’s global tariff policy, signaling relief but urging clarity and stability in transatlantic trade.

The ruling prompted measured responses from Brussels, London, Ottawa and Bern, with officials emphasising predictability for businesses and warning that further legal steps by Washington could still affect trade flows, Caliber.Az reports per CNBS.

Olof Gill, European Commission spokesperson for trade and economic security, said businesses on both sides of the Atlantic depend on “stability and predictability.”

“We remain in close contact with the U.S. Administration as we seek clarity on the steps they intend to take in response to this ruling,” Gill said. “We therefore continue to advocate for low tariffs and to work towards reducing them.”

In the United Kingdom, a government spokesperson said London would engage with Washington to assess the practical implications of the decision.

“This is a matter for the U.S. to determine but we will continue to support U.K. businesses as further details are announced,” the spokesperson said. “The U.K. enjoys the lowest reciprocal tariffs globally, and under any scenario we expect our privileged trading position with the U.S. to continue.”

Canada also welcomed the judgment. Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister for U.S.-Canadian trade relations, said the decision “reinforces Canada’s position that the IEEPA tariffs imposed by the United States are unjustified.”

In Switzerland, Swissmem, the country’s technology industry association, described the ruling as positive but cautioned that uncertainty remains.

“From the perspective of the Swiss export industry, this is a good decision. The high tariffs have severely damaged the tech industry. However, today’s ruling doesn’t win anything yet,” Swissmem said.

The group warned that the Trump administration could invoke other legal mechanisms to “legitimize tariffs” and called on Swiss policymakers to strengthen competitiveness through new free trade agreements.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Trump exceeded his authority when imposing sweeping tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a 1977 law reserved for national emergencies. The decision does not affect all of Trump’s tariffs but invalidates those implemented using the IEEPA.

By Sabina Mammadli