Global leaders react after US supreme court strikes Trump's tariffs

US trading partners cautiously welcomed a Supreme Court ruling striking down US President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs, with hard-hit Canada saying the levies were always "unjustified."

But soon after the decision was announced, Trump vowed to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imports into the United States under a separate authority.

While the conservative-majority Supreme Court ruled that Trump was not authorized by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs, the ruling does not impact sector-specific duties that Trump has imposed on imports of steel, aluminum and various other goods.

Governments were weighing how all this would impact commerce with the world's largest economy, which has been transformed through Trump's use of executive authority since he took office a year ago.

Here is a look at how leaders around the world have reacted:

European Union

EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said that the 27-nation bloc was closely analyzing the ruling.

"We remain in close contact with the US Administration as we seek clarity on the steps they intend to take in response to this ruling," he said, stressing the need for "stability and predictability" in trade.

Germany 

The German government said it was in "close contact with the American government to obtain clarifications on the next steps."

German industry group BDI was upbeat, with board member Wolfgang Niedermark saying the ruling was "clear proof that the separation of powers in the USA is still going strong." 

United Kingdom

The UK government said that it expects its "privileged trading position with the US to continue."

The close allies reached a trade deal last May that lifted tariffs on UK steel and aluminum products and slashed levies on British car exports from 27.5 percent to 10 percent.

"We will work with the administration to understand how the ruling will affect tariffs for the UK and the rest of the world," a government spokesperson said.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron said that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on President Donald Trump's trade tariffs shows that it is good to have counterweights to power and the rule of law in democracies.

"It is not bad to have a Supreme Court and, therefore, the rule of law," he said at the annual agricultural salon in Paris, in response to a question about the ruling by the US Supreme Court that tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump under an economic emergency law were illegal.

"It is good to have power and counterweights to power in democracies," Macron said.

He added that France would consider the consequences of Trump's new 10 percent global tariff and adapt and the country wants to continue to export its products, including agricultural, luxury, fashion and aeronautical goods.

He said that a calm mindset was needed and that the fairest rule was "reciprocity" and not to "be subjected to unilateral decisions."

France's economy minister Roland Lescure said the ruling showed that tariffs are "at the very least, open to debate."

Canada 

Canadian International Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the ruling reinforces Ottawa's position that the levies were "unjustified."

But he noted that the tariffs causing the most pain in Canada - sector-specific measures affecting the steel, aluminum and auto industries - remained in force.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce cautioned against viewing the court's decision as "a reset of US trade policy."

"Canada should prepare for new, blunter mechanisms to be used to reassert trade pressure, potentially with broader and more disruptive effects," the chamber's president, Candace Laing, said in a statement.

Mexico

Mexico, which sends 80 percent of its exports to the United States, said it was studying the possible effects of the 10-percent general tariff that Trump announced after the court verdict.

"First, we're going to see what measures they will take to determine how this will affect our country," Mexican Economic Minister Marcelo Ebrard said.