The European Union (EU) has taken its first steps to retaliate against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs. On Wednesday, EU member states backed a package of measures targeting a range of American imports in response to Washington’s levies on steel and aluminum.
In a statement, the European Commission called the U.S. tariffs “unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy.” The proposed retaliatory duties, mostly set at 25%, aim to counterbalance the impact of the U.S. measures.
The tariffs will affect a variety of U.S. goods, including agricultural and industrial products such as soybeans, poultry, tobacco, motorcycles, dental floss, and steel and aluminum. These imports were valued at around 22 billion euros ($24.36 billion) last year.
The EU’s countermeasures will be introduced in three stages. The first set, on products like cranberries and orange juice, will take effect on April 15. A second round, covering items such as steel, meat, white chocolate, and polyethylene, will follow on May 16. The final phase, targeting goods like almonds and soybeans, is scheduled for December 1.
Despite the retaliatory actions, the European Commission emphasized its preference for a negotiated solution. “These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the U.S. agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” it stated.
