Regional prosperity endangered
US tariffs put Cologne economy under pressure
Updated on April 8th, 2025 – 12:20 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
The current US tariffs present the economy with considerable challenges. The Cologne Chamber of Commerce (IHK) also warns of negative consequences.
Since US President Donald Trump’s inauguration, his government has taken a number of protectionist measures that ensure considerable tensions worldwide. On April 2, Trump announced a comprehensive customs package, which, among other things, provides for tariffs of 20 percent on imports from the European Union. These measures already have a noticeable impact on the economy.
The Cologne Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) expresses great concern about the punitive tariffs introduced by the US government. At the request of T-Online, general manager Dr. Uwe Vetterlein the decision as a “difficult blow for the global economy”, which “only produces losers”. The chamber predicts that consumer prices in the USA will increase significantly while demand for European products is falling. This particularly affects Germany as an export -oriented nation and endangers regional prosperity. In addition to existing uncertainty factors such as high energy prices and increasing bureaucracy, the US criminal offenses are a further burden for companies.
A spokeswoman emphasized that the majority of the vehicles sold in Europe are also produced here, which reduces the dependence on imports from the USA. Nevertheless, the tariffs could have indirect effects on supply chains and production costs.
