Survey shows: EU companies are responding appropriately to US tariffs but face internal trade barriers

LootboxPhobia · 2026-03-04T01:57:03+00:00

According to a survey by the European Investment Bank, EU companies are performing well in responding to US tariffs, but face challenges from fragmented laws and regulations when it comes to internal sales. The survey shows that EU companies are on par with the US in AI applications, boosting productivity, but internal trade barriers are equivalent to high tariffs and need to be eliminated to promote investment.

LootboxPhobia

2026-03-04 01:57:03

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Investing.com – According to a survey released by the European Investment Bank on Tuesday, EU companies are effectively responding to the tariffs increased by the United States, but face significant challenges when selling products within the EU due to fragmented rules and regulations.

The survey, conducted by the government-owned European Investment Bank (the largest investment bank in Europe), shows that EU companies have reached a level comparable to US firms in artificial intelligence applications, thereby boosting productivity.

The 2025/2026 European Investment Bank Group Investment Survey is based on responses from approximately 13,000 companies collected between April and July last year. The results indicate that EU companies have adapted well to rapid technological advances, green transition demands, and the significant rise in US tariffs.

Last July, Washington and Brussels reached a framework trade agreement that imposes a 15% import tariff on most EU goods. This rate is half of the threat level but failed to meet Europe’s initial goal of a zero-tariff agreement.

When the US raises tariffs, US companies show more concern than EU companies. The survey points out that the impact of tariffs is mainly borne by US importers, while the effect on EU exporters remains manageable.

However, differing national laws among the 27 EU member states cause difficulties for 62% of European companies attempting to export goods to other EU countries, highlighting the imperfections of the bloc’s single market for goods and services.

The report states that removing these barriers could increase the ratio of business investment to assets by 10%, with even greater gains in intangible asset investment.

These findings are consistent with research from the International Monetary Fund, which found that regulatory differences causing intra-EU trade barriers are equivalent to tariffs of 44% on goods and 110% on services.

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