The EU has decided to delay its countermeasures to US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports until mid-April, allowing extra time for negotiations with Washington and consultation on which goods to include in its retaliatory levies, EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said today.
The EU had planned to impose its tariffs in two phases, the first on 1 April and the second on 13 April, but it has now decided that both sets of measures will be brought in together on 13 April.
The first round of EU tariffs is a reinstatement of levies that the bloc imposed during President Donald Trump's first term in office in 2018 and 2020 on goods "ranging ranging from boats to bourbon to motorbikes".
The second round is a new package of additional measures to reflect the fact that Trump's tariffs this time around are broader in scope and affect a higher value of trade.
The European Commission needs to review with stakeholders the list of US products to be included, Sefcovic said.
"We are now considering to align the timing of the two sets of EU countermeasures so we can consult with member states on both lists simultaneously," he said.
Sefcovic noted that a US trade investigation into copper and wood, including derivatives, could lead to additional tariffs against EU products and that the US is considering measures on shipbuilding that could have negative effects on EU maritime firms.
