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 the sectors, the EU has accepted retaliatory measures against the US tariffs on EU steel and aluminum.

On Wednesday, EU member states approved 25% tariffs 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 trade partners worldwide. The product list seen earlier 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 succeeded in having bourbon whiskey removed from the targeted products list following Trump's threat that a 200% tariff would be imposed on European alcohol. The final list of US products affected by the EU's retaliation has not been publicly disclosed yet. The volume of US imports affected by EU tariffs will be slightly less than the exports hit by US tariffs. While the US tariffs on aluminum and steel, which came into effect on March 12, are worth 26 billion euros annually, it is expected that around 22 billion euros worth of US products will be targeted by the EU. To give negotiations with the US a chance, the timeline has also been extended: 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, as well as a 20% "reciprocal" tariff on all EU imports. 70% of EU exports to the US are affected by this situation. The EU executive said on Tuesday that the European Commission is working on a second retaliatory package to be presented at the beginning of next week.