EU Strikes Back: Counter-Tariffs Target U.S. Goods Amid Trade Tensions

The European Commission has proposed 25% counter-tariffs on various U.S. goods, including diamonds and poultry, in response to President Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs. Some tariffs will take effect on May 16, with others starting December 1. The move is part of broader trade tensions between the EU and U.S.

The European Commission has fired back against President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum by proposing its own set of counter-tariffs. The proposal includes a 25% tariff on a wide array of American goods, ranging from diamonds to sausages. According to a document reviewed by Reuters, these tariffs are slated to come into effect on two separate dates: May 16 and December 1.

The comprehensive list of impacted goods also features items like eggs, dental floss, almonds, and soybeans. Speaking earlier, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic indicated that the impact of these counter-tariffs would be smaller than a previously highlighted 26 billion euros ($28.45 billion) impact. Notably absent from the final list are bourbon, wine, and dairy, which had initially been considered in March.

The omission of bourbon was critical, as it had provoked Trump into threatening a steep escalation: a 200% tariff on European alcoholic beverages, to the angst of wine producers in France and Italy. Meanwhile, the EU has tightened its existing steel safeguards and is contemplating aluminum import quotas. EU member states are expected to vote on this measure on April 9.

(With inputs from agencies.)