MANILA, July 24 - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas questioned the rationale behind recent U.S. tariffs on goods from the bloc, saying on Friday that claims the EU has deficiencies in its forced labour controls lack foundation.
Speaking on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings in Manila, Kallas disputed the premise that the European Union falls short on labour protections. "You can’t say that for the European Union," she said. She noted that, compared with labour standards in the United States, the EU provides paid vacations and generally strong conditions for workers, arguing that the allegations do not rest on solid footing.
Kallas said the EU will be seeking clarification from U.S. authorities. She emphasised that the bloc has honoured its obligations under a transatlantic trade agreement reached last year and portrayed the new tariffs as an unexpected departure from that accord.
"We had a deal with America and we have kept to that deal, that side of the deal," she said, adding that the imposition of tariffs was "a negative surprise" because the agreement appeared not to be upheld.
The comments underline a point of contention between Brussels and Washington: the U.S. action was presented as a response to concerns about forced labour controls, while the EU’s leadership contests that characterization and is moving to obtain further explanation.
Kallas’ response frames the matter as one of compliance and mutual commitment under a recent trade understanding between the two sides. Her remarks indicate the EU’s expectation that the terms of that agreement should be respected and that deviations warrant clarification.
The EU’s stated intent to seek answers highlights the diplomatic channel the bloc intends to pursue to resolve the dispute. How Washington responds to those requests for clarification will determine the next steps in the transatlantic dialogue over the tariffs and the underlying allegations.
Summary
Kaja Kallas has publicly challenged the U.S. justification for imposing tariffs on European goods, called allegations of weak forced labour controls unfounded, and said the EU will request clarification, noting the bloc upheld a trade agreement reached last year and regards the tariffs as a surprising breach of that deal.