The European Union (EU) has proposed a 25% tariff on a range of U.S. products in retaliation to President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose duties on European steel and aluminum. According to internal documents shared with EU member states and reported by Reuters and Bloomberg, the targeted American goods include diamonds, eggs, dental floss, sausages, and poultry.
Some of these retaliatory tariffs are set to take effect on May 16. Items like bourbon, wine, and dairy, which were previously considered, have been removed from the final list.
Maros Sefcovic, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, confirmed on Monday that a list of countermeasures would be circulated among EU member states. A vote on the first set of retaliatory measures is scheduled for April 9, with implementation expected on April 15. While emphasizing the EU’s preference for negotiation, Sefcovic stated that the bloc is ready to use “every tool” to protect its interests if talks with the U.S. fail.
“We are prepared to use every tool in our trade defense arsenal to protect the EU single market, EU producers, and EU consumers,” Sefcovic said.
The 27-nation bloc faces U.S. import tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminum and 20% on cars, along with broader tariffs on other goods under Trump’s policy aimed at countries he believes impose high barriers to U.S. imports.
On Monday evening, the EU Commission clarified that the first retaliatory tariffs of 25% on U.S. imports are specifically in response to Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs rather than the broader levies.
