BRUSSELS — The EU can apply retaliatory tariffs on around €22 billion of U.S. products like soybeans, motorcycles and orange juice after the bloc’s 27 countries assented to the measures Wednesday, two diplomats told POLITICO.
Hitting back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, the European Union’s countermeasures will apply in three rounds. After some go into force next week, others will apply from mid-May and the final round follows in December.
Fourteen EU countries would have needed to vote against the retaliation, which had been seen as unlikely considering the shows of unity in recent weeks.
The retaliation does not yet respond to Trump’s imposition of 20 percent “reciprocal” tariffs on all EU exports, which came into force Wednesday, and his latest 25 percent tariff on cars. Trump has also said tariffs on pharmaceuticals are coming soon.
