First retaliatory measures from the EU: A 25% customs duty on US products has been approved.
After several weeks of consultations between the European Commission and various sectors, the EU has accepted retaliatory measures against the US tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.
On Wednesday, EU member states approved a 25% tariff on a wide range of US products, including almonds, orange juice, poultry, soybeans, steel and aluminum, tobacco, and yachts, as retaliation against the 25% tariffs imposed by the US on steel and aluminum imports from the bloc. These are the first retaliatory measures taken by Europe in the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump against trading partners worldwide. A product list previously seen by Euronews became the subject of intense lobbying by member states concerned that the US countermeasures would hit their own industries. France, Ireland, and Italy ensured that Bourbon whiskey was removed from the targeted products list following Trump's threat to impose a 200% tariff on European alcohol. The final list of US products affected by the EU's retaliation has not yet been made public. The volume of US imports affected by the EU tariffs will be slightly less than the exports hit by US tariffs. While the US tariffs, which came into effect on March 12, target EU aluminum and steel exports worth €26 billion annually, approximately €22 billion worth of US products are expected to be targeted by the EU. The timeline has also been extended to give negotiations with the US a chance: the EU tariffs will come into effect between April 15 and December 1. These retaliatory measures are the first step in the EU's response to the US trade war. The Trump administration has imposed a 25% tariff on EU cars in addition to tariffs on aluminum and steel, and a 20% "reciprocal" tariff on all EU imports. 70% of EU exports to the US are affected by this situation. The EU executive stated on Tuesday that the European Commission is working on a second retaliatory package that will be presented early next week.