EU eyes anti-coercion tool as potential lever in US-Greenland tariff clash

The EU’s anti-coercion instrument (ACI), adopted in 2023, lets Brussels respond to economic coercion by restricting access to the single market, services, and public procurement; activation is not automatic and requires four months of Commission assessment, followed by a qualified-majority vote by member states to trigger negotiations and possible countermeasures if talks fail (tariffs, tender exclusions, IP rights suspensions). It is viewed as a deterrent and has never been used. With President Trump threatening tariffs on Denmark over Greenland, the EU could opt to activate the ACI, potentially sparking a broader trade clash while aiming to defend EU interests and avoid breaking transatlantic ties.