The European Union is responding to the Trump administration’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports by announcing new duties on U.S. industrial and agricultural products. The EU’s move, which will affect about $28 billion worth of American goods, will be implemented in two phases: the first on April 1 and the second on April 13.
“We deeply regret this measure. Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business and even worse for consumers,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Jobs are at stake. Prices will go up. In Europe and in the United States.”
The EU’s response will hit a variety of U.S. products, including motorcycles, bourbon, peanut butter, jeans, poultry, beef, and home appliances. Officials have made it clear that the tariffs are targeted at goods from Republican-led states, just as they were in previous trade disputes under Trump.
Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, who recently traveled to Washington to prevent the trade war from escalating, said the EU is not responsible for the current tensions. “I argued to avoid the unnecessary burden of measures and countermeasures, but you need a partner for that. You need both hands to clap,” he said.
The U.S. tariffs, which will impact about $28 billion in European exports, are expected to disrupt supply chains and increase prices on both sides of the Atlantic. The European steel industry, which exports about 16% of its steel to the U.S., is bracing for major losses.
Despite the tit-for-tat measures, von der Leyen emphasized that the EU remains open to negotiations. “We firmly believe that in a world fraught with geopolitical and economic uncertainties, it is not in our common interest to burden our economies with tariffs,” she said.
Meanwhile, the British government has chosen not to impose its own retaliatory tariffs, with Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds stating that the U.K. will continue negotiations with the U.S. instead. However, he left the door open for future actions, saying, “We will keep all options on the table and won’t hesitate to respond in the national interest.”