EU hits back at Trump tariffs, targets £20 billion US products: ’Countermeasures can be suspended if...’

The European Union (EU) on Wednesday adopted its first measures in response to US President Donald Trump's tariff onslaught, targeting more than 20 billion euros of US goods, including soybeans, motorcycles, and beauty products.

The levies of up to 25 per cent are retaliation for US duties on steel and aluminium imposed last month. Europe's response to Trump's latest tariff salvo has yet to be announced. "These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome," the European Commission said after EU member states greenlit the measures.

Also Read: EU mulls 25% tariff on some US goods, drops planned 50% retaliatory tariff on American whiskey

Duties will start to be collected under the measures on April 15. "EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides and the global economy," it added. Trump has also slapped a 25-per cent tariff on car imports from the EU and targeted the bloc with so-called reciprocal tariffs of 20 per cent that came into force Wednesday, as in dozens of other countries.

According to news agency AFP, the response to the measures could be unveiled next week. Approved by 26 EU countries - with Hungary voting against - the list of targeted products is weighted towards states held majoritarily by Trump's Republicans. The goods include poultry, rice, corn, fruit and nuts, wood, motorcycles, plastics, textiles, paintings and electrical equipment.

Also Read: Donald Trump rejects EU’s ‘very, very bad’ zero-for-zero tariff proposal: ’They don’t take our cars, like Japan’

EU tariffs on US

Bourbon had been on a preliminary list, but the EU removed it after pressure from major wine exporters France and Italy, fearing Trump would deliver on threats of a 200-per cent tariff on European drinks. EU's response to Trump's tariffs has sought to balance calibrated retaliation with a push for negotiations to avert an all-out trade war.

Its first retaliatory move was approved as Washington and Beijing ratcheted up a tit-for-tat escalation of tariffs. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said countries that do not hit back would not face higher rates. According to news agency AFP, the measures approved on Wednesday consist of two parts.

EU to levy tariffs in two parts

First, the EU will let a set of levies dating from Trump's first term -- but currently suspended -- snap back into place and they will be collected from next Tuesday. The second step includes the new list of products to target with tariffs, most of which will take effect next month, with some in December.

Also Read: ‘Be cool! Everything is going to work out well’: Donald Trump tells US as China, EU retaliate with new tariffs

EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa emphasised Europe's push for negotiation after meeting with leaders from the American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union on Wednesday. The chamber's members include Amazon, Apple, Boeing, Ford and McDonald's.

"Our message was clear: Europe matters to American businesses," the chamber said on X (formerly Twitter). “Further escalation must be avoided to prevent massive harm.” "Trade agreements are better than trade tariffs," said Costa, who heads the European Council representing EU states.