The European Commission announced on Wednesday that all member states voted in favor of the proposal to pass trade countermeasures against the United States, which would affect €21 billion worth of US imports. Duties will begin to be collected on April 15.
In the public statement published by the commission, the bloc dubbed the US tariffs "unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy." Moreover, the EU has expressed a strong preference for achieving balanced and mutually beneficial negotiated outcomes with the US.
The duties will be implemented in stages, with additional waves for mid-May and December 1. Some products will be taxed at 25%, while others face 10% levies. Bourbon whiskey was removed from the list to avoid triggering a 200% US tariff on EU alcohol. The countermeasures can be canceled anytime should the US government agree to a "fair and balanced" deal.
