On Wednesday, EU member states approved initial retaliatory tariffs of 10% to 25% on US imports, which the European Commission says will take effect next week.
This includes special levies on American-made jeans and motorcycles, as well as the removal of whiskey and other alcoholic beverages from the commission’s proposed list.
Additional counter-tariffs are set to be imposed in mid-May and at the end of the year, affecting products such as beef, poultry, and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit. Additional tariffs on nuts and soybeans are scheduled for early December.
The tariffs approved on Wednesday are in response to US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports imposed about a month earlier.
According to EU calculations, US measures will have a €26 billion ($28.8 billion) impact on exports. Brussels’ measures target goods worth approximately €21 billion, according to EU sources.
The EU has emphasized its preference for negotiations over escalating the trade dispute.
Work continues on a new package of measures in response to President Donald Trump’s recent announcement of tariffs on cars and almost all other EU exports to the United States.
Trump’s tariff policy seeks to correct alleged trade imbalances and shift production to the United States, while partially offsetting the tax cuts promised during his election campaign.
