EU Delays First Wave of Retaliatory Duties on US
The European Commission will delay its first wave of retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. from April 1 until mid-April, commission spokesperson Olof Gill said in a statement March 20. Gill said the tariffs were delayed to "align the timing" of the EU's two sets of retaliatory actions announced last month (see 2503120042).
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Gill said the delay allows the commission to consult with EU member states "on both lists simultaneously" and provides the bloc with more time to negotiate with the Trump administration. "Our goal is to strike the right balance of products, taking into account the interests of EU producers, exporters and consumers," Gill said. "The change represents a slight adjustment to the timeline and does not diminish the impact of our response."
One set of tariffs will reinstate the duties the EU had issued and later suspended in response to U.S. Section 232 tariffs during the first Trump administration. The second set of tariffs could see rate hikes on a 99-page list of American exports, including agricultural goods, meats and poultry, alcohol, dairy products, specific aluminum and steel products, household goods, e-cigarettes, motorcycles, wooden products and more. The commission is accepting public comments on the duties until March 26.