New US and EU tariffs – what Danish businesses need to know and do

The US has announced the introduction of a general import tariff of 10% and increased tariffs of up to 54% on selected product groups. The measures will come into effect from April 2025 and have already triggered announced countermeasures from the EU. This development marks not only a new chapter in the transatlantic trade relationship, but also a broader shift in the global trade policy agenda.

For Danish companies, the tariff measures present a number of immediate and strategic challenges. Increased costs and changed access to the US market will necessitate an adjustment of both contract terms and delivery conditions. There will be greater demands on documentation and customs clearance, and in many cases supply and distribution chains will have to be rethought. At the same time, the complexity of ongoing trade with US partners increases, which increases the need for legal and commercial risk management.

In this newsletter, we provide an overview of the specific US tariff measures and their effective dates, the EU response and planned countermeasures. We also discuss the legal and commercial implications for Danish companies and the actions companies should take now to adapt and minimise risk.