Brussels, April 3 -- President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday announced that the EU was preparing to ramp up its countermeasures to protect itself from US' reciprocal tariffs, Euro News reported.

The EU is "preparing for further countermeasures" to protect its interest, Von der Leyen said after US President Donald Trump announced a 20 per cent levies on European goods, urging the US to "move from confrontation to negotiation", as per Euro News.

In a post on X, Von der Leyen said, "The universal tariffs announced by the US are a major blow to businesses and consumers worldwide. Europe is prepared to respond. We'll always protect our interests and values. We're also ready to engage."

"We are already finalisin...