EU Okays Retaliatory Tariffs on $31b Worth of US Goods

They target politically sensitive American states and some will take effect in mid-April

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BRUSSELS — The European Union approved tariffs to hit around €21 billion (S$31.27 billion) worth of US goods in retaliation for the 25 percent duties President Donald Trump imposed in March on the bloc's steel and aluminum exports.

A majority of the EU's 27 member states on April 9 voted in favor of the penalties, some of which will start to take effect in mid-April.

The tariffs will target politically sensitive American states and include products such as soya beans from Louisiana, home to House Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as diamonds, agricultural products, poultry and motorcycles.

The move adds to the growing transatlantic trade war, with the US also having applied a universal 20 percent tariff on nearly all European exports as well as a separate 25 percent duty on cars and some auto parts.

Mr. Trump has said he will announce additional tariffs on lumber, semiconductor chips and pharmaceutical products. All of his new tariffs are hitting around €380 billion worth of EU goods.

Some of the EU tariffs will take effect in mid-April, while another list will be imposed in mid-May and a third will start on Dec. 1, Bloomberg reported earlier.

Most of the targeted goods face a 25 percent tariff level, with a few categories set to face a rate of 10 percent.

Bourbon was removed from the bloc's list amid pressure from member states after Mr. Trump threatened 200 percent duties on wine, champagne and other alcoholic beverages from France and elsewhere.