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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the EU's controversial trade deal with Donald Trump, warning that failure to reach a deal would have been a gift to Europe's rivals.
"Imagine for a moment if the two largest democratic economies had not reached an agreement and instead had started a trade war; only Moscow and Beijing would celebrate," von der Leyen wrote in an article published Saturday evening in El Mundo.
The Commission chief described the four-page framework agreement, finalised last week, as a deliberate choice for "stability and predictability instead of escalation and confrontation".
The pact caps most U.S. tariffs on EU goods at 15 percent, including cars and pharmaceuticals, and establishes exemptions for generic drugs and aircraft parts.
Critics, including former World Trade Organization chief Pascal Lamy, have warned that the deal risks damaging Europe's credibility as a defender of rules-based trade.
But von der Leyen insisted that the EU had secured a unique result: a single tariff ceiling of 15 percent, unlike the tiered tariffs that Washington applies to other partners.
She also stressed that EU rules on food safety, health and digital remain intact and pointed to Brussels' efforts to diversify trade ties, including deals with Mexico, the South American Mercosur bloc of countries and a goal to reach a pact with India before the end of the year.
Von der Leyen echoed former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi, who on Friday called for the demolition of internal market barriers, arguing that they hinder growth more than any foreign tariff.
"If Europe wants to fully unlock its potential, this is the most urgent challenge," she wrote.
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