EU Plans Retaliatory Tariffs in Response to Trump-Era Olive Trade Dispute

Brussels – The EU executive is expected to announce a list of US products it will target in retaliation for tariffs on Spanish black olives imposed during the Trump administration.

blank” rel=”noopener”>Euronews has reported that the European Commission is drafting a list of US products to target with retaliatory import tariffs in an ongoing trade dispute over Spanish black olives. The conflict stems from tariffs imposed on Spanish olives during Donald Trump's first term in 2017 and now seems poised to become an early issue affecting EU-US relations as he potentially resumes his presidency next year.

How did Trump-era tariffs impact Spanish olive producers?

In 2017, the US imposed anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duties ranging from 30% to 44% on imports of Spanish black olives, arguing that US producers were being harmed by EU subsidies provided to Spanish olive growers under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The EU contested these measures at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), leading to a legal battle lasting over four years. This culminated in November 2021, when a WTO panel ruled that the US actions were in violation of WTO rules.

The European Commission stated that the US had not taken steps to comply with the WTO’s recommendations, warranting the imposition of retaliatory tariffs. The WTO is anticipated to discuss and approve these measures in an upcoming session. “This would allow the EU to impose import tariffs on US products to counterbalance the economic damage of the illegal US tariffs until the US complies with the WTO ruling on this matter,” a spokesperson for the European Commission stated.

Which US products could be targeted by EU countermeasures?

The EU is currently finalising a list of US products that will be targeted by the proposed countermeasures.

According to WTO protocol, the retaliating party should first seek to target products in the same sector as those subject to unlawful duties. If this is not feasible or effective, countermeasures can be applied to goods in other sectors or covered by separate WTO agreements.

These developments come amid broader concerns over trade relations, as former President Donald Trump has recently floated the idea of imposing blanket tariffs of up to 20% on European imports. Such moves are raising fears of a renewed transatlantic trade war. Any escalation in these tensions could have wide-ranging effects, particularly for key European markets such as Spain, which would be directly impacted by Trump’s more aggressive trade policies.