The European Union is responding to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that went into effect on Wednesday, as reported by the European Commission.
Retaliatory tariffs on previous U.S. duties on EU steel and aluminum will be reinstated on April 1 after being suspended, targeting products such as bourbon, boats, and motorbikes. In addition, the European Commission plans to introduce new countermeasures by mid-April following consultations with EU stakeholders.
The 2018 tariffs affected various U.S. goods including bourbon, whiskeys, corn, orange juice, cranberry juice, and peanut butter. Possible new countermeasures may involve additional tariffs on agricultural products like poultry, beef, seafood, nuts, eggs, dairy, sugar, and vegetables.
The EU’s actions cover U.S. exports valued up to 26 billion euros, aligning with the economic impact of the U.S. tariffs.
The European Commission criticized the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs as unjustified, disruptive, and harmful to businesses and consumers. However, they expressed readiness to negotiate with the Trump administration to find a solution and reverse the countermeasures.
“The countermeasures we take today are strong but proportionate,” stated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
This move fulfills von der Leyen’s previous commitment to respond firmly to the White House’s tariffs. Other U.S. trading partners like Mexico and Canada also condemned the added duties as unjustified.
Notably, Canada saw a brief plan by the Trump administration to impose an additional 25% duty on steel and aluminum before reversing the decision following Ontario’s suspension of a retaliatory surcharge on electricity exports.
This article includes contributions from Sarah Zimmerman.