EU Considers 25% Tariffs on Some US Goods in Metals Dispute
The European Union is proposing 25% tariffs on a selection of US goods in retaliation for President Donald Trump’s decision last month to put levies on aluminum and steel imports.
The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, shared a document, seen by Bloomberg, listing dozens of product category codes it plans to target.
EU member states aim to approve the plan later this week and it would enter into force on April 15, although most of the duties wouldn’t be collected until mid-May, an EU official said.
As the EU continues to debate how to respond to Trump’s announcement of a broader 20% tariff on imports from the bloc, it’s trying to carefully calibrate its response to his earlier metals tariffs. Officials have said they want to leave room for a negotiation, but also want to show resolve.
Reuters earlier reported the 25% tariffs plan. The European Commission declined to comment.
The US-EU trade fight dates back to 2018, when Trump imposed hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. In response, the EU slapped a 25% tariff a number of products, on American whiskey. That tariff was suspended in late 2021 as part of negotiations by former President Joe Biden, and since then, American whiskey has entered the EU tariff-free.
Europe is in the process of responding to new Trump administration tariffs. EU trade ministers met in Luxembourg to mull negotiation strategies and prepare potential countermeasures.
After discussions with member states and stakeholders in recent weeks, the EU is now targeting levies on billions of euros in goods.
Source : Bloomberg
