BRUSSELS – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has criticized the United States' escalating tariff policies, calling them unpredictable and disruptive to global markets and supply chains.

"Now, global markets are shaken by the unpredictable tariff policy of the US administration. US tariffs on the rest of the world are at their highest in a century," she said on Tuesday in Valencia, Italy, at the 2025 Congress of the conservative European People's Party, the largest political group of the European Parliament.

She warned that the economic impact of the tariffs would be far-reaching, affecting both consumers and businesses alike.

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"Millions of citizens will face higher grocery bills, medicines will cost more, transportation will cost more, inflation will go up.”

Von der Leyen also condemned the Trump administration's recent moves against certain American universities, including threats to cut federal funding for institutions like Harvard.

"Controversial debates at our universities are welcome; we consider freedom of science and research as fundamental," she said.

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Von der Leyen pledged new proposals to attract international researchers to make Europe "the home of innovation".

"This is why we will make proposals to help them 'Choose Europe'. Because we want scientists and researchers from all over the world to make Europe their home – and to make Europe the home of innovation again," she said.