
Brussels – The European Union (EU) may delay the implementation of its initial countermeasures against the U.S. regarding President Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum until mid-April, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič announced on Thursday during a session at the European Parliament, according to TASR.
The European Commission had initially proposed reinstating tariffs of 4.5 billion euros on American products effective April 1, followed by an additional 18 billion euros in tariffs commencing April 13. Šefčovič confirmed this plan in an interview with TASR on March 12.
However, during the ongoing EU summit, where leaders addressed the potential risks of a trade war with the U.S., he indicated that the European Commission is now evaluating the possibility of synchronizing the timing of these two sets of countermeasures.
“We aim to consult with member states on both lists concurrently, which would provide us with more time for negotiations with our American counterparts,” Šefčovič remarked during a hearing before the European Parliament’s International Trade Committee.
The first set of EU countermeasures includes a 50% tariff on American bourbon. In response, Trump has threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs of 200% on all wines and other alcoholic beverages imported from EU nations if this measure is enacted. Furthermore, the Trump administration also plans to introduce additional tariffs starting April 2. (March 20)













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