US-EU trade war: EU plans to set duties from July on US exports of bourbon, jeans, motorcycles, orange juice and steel products

The European Union expects to hit imports from the United States with duties of 25 percent from July on bourbon, jeans, motorcycles, orange juice and a variety of steel products, ratcheting up a transatlantic trade conflict after Washington imposed its own tariffs on incoming EU steel and aluminum, according to Reuters.

EU member states have given broad support to a European Commission plan to set 25 percent duties on up to EUR 2.8 billion of US exports in response to what is sees as illegal US action to set tariffs worth EUR 6.4 billion on EU exports of steel and aluminum.

“The Commission expects to conclude the relevant procedure in coordination with member states before the end of June so that the new duties start applying in July,” EU commissioner Maros Sefcovic told a news conference on Wednesday.

European Commission’s plan also includes duties of between 10 and 50 percent on a further EUR 3.6 billion of US imports in March 2021 or potentially sooner if the World Trade Organization has ruled the US measures illegal.

US products on the list include orange juice, bourbon, jeans, motorcycles and a variety of steel products.

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The European Union, Canada and Mexico have all responded after US President Donald Trump last Friday ended their exemptions from tariffs of 25 percent for steel and 10 percent for aluminum.

Mexico retaliated to US tariffs on steel and aluminum by introducing tariffs on American products ranging from steel to pork and bourbon on Tuesday.

Canada has announced it will impose retaliatory tariffs on USD 12.9 billion worth of US exports from July 1.

The European Commission launched a legal challenge against the US tariffs at the World Trade Organization last Friday.

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