In a press release published on Friday 23 May, the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), states that its calculations show that up to 720,000 jobs in the EU, mainly in the manufacturing sector, could be at risk if US President Donald Trump imposes 20% tariffs on European exports.
On the same day, Donald Trump again threatened the EU27 with 50% tariffs on European exports (see other news).
Furthermore, the jobs supported by goods exports to the US are primarily skilled, stable and unionised ones in high value-added sectors such as automotive, chemicals and machinery, says ETUI.
“In a context where the EU has already experienced a decline of nearly three million manufacturing jobs between 2008 and 2024, the threat comes not just from the number of potential job losses but from a further erosion of Europe’s industrial base”, according to ETUI.
The consequences will be felt throughout the European value chains that supply intermediate goods.
Link to the study: https://aeur.eu/f/h0h (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)