Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

EU Reportedly Considering 'New Legal Tool' as Response to Biden's 'Buy American' Order

EU Reportedly Considering 'New Legal Tool' as Response to Biden's 'Buy American' Order

In late January, POTUS inked the so-called "Buy American" order, an executive action that Joe Biden said would help "rebuild the backbone of America: manufacturing, unions, and the middle class".

In the coming weeks, Brussels may take a countermeasure to press EU member states to "Buy European", in retaliation for Washington's "Buy American" drive, Politico reports.

According to the US news outlet, the so-called International Procurement Initiative is touted as "a new legal tool" that stipulates sticking to the concept of "reciprocity" in major public contracts to shore up the EU's industrial giants.

The new law aims "to effectively shut out companies from countries where European businesses are barred from tenders, leveraging the EU's giant €2 trillion [$2.4 trillion] procurement market in everything from highways and trains to public IT systems", Politico underlined.


The news outlet cited unnamed sources as saying that the International Procurement Initiative is expected to provide Brussels with more authority "to force Washington to keep its market open".

The law will allow the European Commission to investigate whether certain procurement markets in countries outside the EU are closed to the bloc's bids. If Brussels concludes that those markets are closed, it will start consultations to make local authorities open them, according to the sources.

They added "should that fail, the Commission would then decide whether to propose a 'score adjustment' — essentially making bids from the penalised country more costly through a points-based regime — or to completely exclude bids from companies based in that country".

EU Trade Boss Vows to Assess Biden's 'Buy American' Push for Compliance With WTO Rules


The comments come after European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis told Politico in February that the EU is concerned about the Biden administration's push to implement its "Buy American" plan.

Dombrovskis pledged that the EU would keep a watchful eye on whether preferential treatment for US contractors working on public projects was in line with Washington's international obligations. At the same time, the commissioner kept mum on whether the Biden administration is breaking World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules with the "Buy American" mantra.

"As regards 'Buy American', this is something which will require some more in-depth assessment, what are the exact implications, what are the implications for EU companies, what does it mean for US commitments in the WTO framework", Dombrovskis noted.

He spoke after US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on 25 January to strengthen domestic manufacturing and create a spate of markets for new technologies. He told reporters before signing the "Buy American" order that the US "can't sit on the sidelines in the race to the future" because its competitors "aren't waiting".

Last summer, then-White House trade adviser Peter Navarro accused then-presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Biden of trying to copy part of former President Donald Trump's 2016 economic plan.

"He's just blatantly ripping off the president's 'Buy American' agenda […]", Navarro told Fox News at the time, describing Biden as a "poll-driven plagiarist".

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
×