EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Against U.S. Amid Trade Dispute

The European Union has postponed its first round of countermeasures against the United States over former President Donald Trump’s metal tariffs, pushing the implementation to mid-April.

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic announced the decision on Thursday during a European Parliament hearing, citing the need to reassess which U.S. goods to target and allow additional time for negotiations.

Initially, the European Commission planned to reimpose 2018 tariffs on €4.5 billion ($4.9 billion) worth of U.S. products on April 1, with a second wave of tariffs on €18 billion worth of goods scheduled for April 13.

However, Sefcovic indicated a shift in strategy.

“We are now considering aligning the timing of both sets of EU countermeasures so we can consult with member states on both lists simultaneously.

This would also provide extra time for negotiations with our American partners,” Sefcovic stated.

The EU Commission later confirmed that all countermeasures would take effect in mid-April.

Among the proposed measures is a 50% tariff on U.S. bourbon, a move that prompted Trump to threaten a 200% tariff on European wines and other alcoholic beverages if the EU proceeds with its plan.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government is considering its own set of reciprocal tariffs, which could take effect as early as April 2, in what it describes as an effort to rebalance the global trade system.

Sefcovic acknowledged limited progress in discussions with U.S. officials, particularly regarding his proposal to lower import duties on industrial goods.

“I don’t think that the U.S. thinking is in that direction. Currently, they believe the best way to proceed is through tariff policies. I hope that one day we will get to this discussion, but we are clearly not there yet,” he said.

French Prime Minister François Bayrou expressed skepticism about targeting American whiskey, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged caution, warning against escalating the trade dispute with Washington.

“I am not certain that responding to tariffs with more tariffs is necessarily a good deal,” Meloni remarked.