ADVERTISEMENTEU member states approved on Wednesday 25% tariffs on a wide range of US products, including almonds, orange juice, poultry, soyabeans, steel and aluminium, tobacco and yachts, in retaliation against 25% tariffs imposed by the US on imports of steel and aluminium from the bloc.
These are Europe’s first retaliatory measures in the trade war waged by US President Donald Trump against his trading partners across the globe. The list of products, previously seen by Euronews, was the subject of intense lobbying by member states wary of US countermeasures hitting their industries.
France, Ireland and Italy secured the removal of Bourbon whiskey from the list of targeted products, after Trump threatened that its inclusion would trigger counter-imposition of a 200% tariff on European alcohol.
The final list of US products hit by EU retaliation was not immediately made public.
The volume of US imports affected by EU tariffs will be slightly less than the exports hit by US customs duties – around €22 billion per year of US products should be hit by the EU while US tariffs that came into force on 12 March on EU exports of aluminium and steel are worth €26 billion each year.
The timetable has also been extended to give negotiations with the US a chance: EU tariffs will come into force between 15 April and 1 December.
These retaliatory measures are the first step in EU’s response to the US trade war. On top of aluminium and steel, the Trump administration has imposed customs duties of 25% on EU cars and “reciprocal” tariffs of 20% on all EU imports. 70% of EU exports to the US are affected.
The Commission is working on a second package of retaliation which will be presented early next week, the EU executive said on Tuesday.