Several major German business groups have expressed approval of a US Supreme Court decision against President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. However, they have highlighted ongoing uncertainties for companies. Volker Treier, head of foreign trade at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized that despite the ruling, German companies operating in the US market still face significant unpredictability.
The Federation of German Industries stated that while the ruling supports a rules-based trade system and opposes unilateral actions, it does not eliminate the persistent uncertainty affecting multinational companies. The German Engineering Federation (VDMA) echoed these sentiments, noting that the practical implications of the ruling remain unclear, further complicating investment and supply-chain decisions.
VDMA also raised concerns about the potential reintroduction of a 15% tariff on EU imports in the near future. They pointed out that President Trump retains alternative methods to impose tariffs globally. Following the Supreme Court’s decision against Trump’s tariff policy, the President signed an executive order imposing 10% tariffs on imported goods from all countries, as indicated in his social media post on Friday.
The US Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling deemed Trump’s broad tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) as unconstitutional, officially invalidating the global tariffs imposed since April.
