Trump's new tariffs: Northern Germany in great economic concern

US President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs on imports from the EU, causing concern in northern Germany. Experts fear significant impacts on companies that export to the USA. The Port of Hamburg has the USA as its second most important trading partner, with an export value of almost 8 billion euros in the first nine months of last year. China also exported goods worth 6.5 billion euros to the USA during this period. Airbus delivers numerous machines and parts from Finkenwerder to the USA.

Malte Heyne, General Manager of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, emphasizes the need for reliable trade and calls on the EU to fight back and become more competitive. Hapag-Lloyd expressed concern about the new tariffs and their impact on cargo flows, demand and costs. The IHK Nord criticized the tariffs as sending the wrong signal for transatlantic relations and called for less bureaucracy and more innovation. In Lower Saxony, associations express similar concerns; The Hanover Chamber of Industry and Commerce speaks of painful effects on the economy.

Impact on the automotive industry

The USA is one of the three most important trading partners for Lower Saxony with an export volume of 7.3 billion euros in 2024. IG Metall warns of negative consequences for the automotive industry and mechanical engineering in Lower Saxony. Volkswagen plans to display the new car tariffs of 25 percent in US car dealerships and has temporarily stopped shipping cars to the US. Vehicles that were imported before the tariffs came into force are not affected. However, car expert Ferdinand Dudenhöffer does not expect an immediate price increase in US car dealerships due to existing vehicle inventories.

The sales figures of German car manufacturers in the USA are already showing pull-forward effects. So reported daily news that Volkswagen was able to increase its sales by 7.1 percent to 87,915 vehicles in the first quarter of 2025, particularly through models such as the Taos SUV and the ID.4 electric car. BMW recorded a sales increase of 3.7 percent to 87,615 cars. Audi and other manufacturers also experience different sales figures; Nevertheless, uncertainty remains regarding future price developments due to the threatened higher tariffs.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission, described the tariffs as a serious blow to the global economy. Trump announced that he would impose additional tariffs of 10 to 49 percent on various trading partners, with EU imports to be hit with 20 percent. European politician Anna Cavazzini criticized the tariffs as “madness” and called for action from the EU.