The lineup is subject to change, as businesses and EU countries will have until June 10 to provide feedback and advocate for sensitive goods to be removed from the list to avoid being caught in Trump’s reprisals.
This happened when the Commission in April consulted with EU capitals for its retaliation against Trump’s earlier steel and aluminum tariffs, with bourbon whiskey being removed at the request of France, Italy and Ireland. In the end, these measures were announced, but not implemented, as Trump dialed back his tariffs in response to a stock market meltdown.
“Boeing is very welcome to reply,” the senior official added, referring to the American plane maker that could be hit majorly if these tariffs are enacted.
The total value of the listed products is much lower than the €379 billion of EU exports that is affected by U.S. tariffs. A second senior Commission official said there is some restraint on Brussels’ side, “to not shoot ourselves in the foot. We want to be prudent,” to avoid a spiralling tit-for-tat dynamic that would ultimately “hurt our industry.”
The list adds to the bloc’s existing retaliation tactics, after several high-level meetings between Brussels and Washington failed to ease soaring trade tensions. Washington still imposes a 10 percent tariff on imports of most EU goods, as well as 25 percent levies on cars, steel and aluminum.
The Trump administration is also investigating sectors like pharmaceuticals, trucks, lumber and semiconductors along with semiconductor manufacturing equipment. But a higher “reciprocal” tariff of 20 percent, currently suspended, would kick back in from early July if no transatlantic deal is reached.
This story has been updated.
