European Retaliatory Tariffs in Response to Trump’s Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on European imports from the United States, in escalation against the tariffs previously imposed by the Trump administration on all US imports of steel and aluminum at a rate of 25%.

The European tariffs focus on manufactured and agricultural products, and will take effect on April 1st. Von der Leyen stated that the new trade measures target US states with Republican representation in the US Congress.

The European tariffs cover European imports from the United States worth $28 billion, in response to Trump’s re-implementation of tariffs on his country’s imports of European steel and aluminum in 2018. Trump’s decisions also included raising tariffs on aluminum from 10% to 25%, with the cessation of some exemptions from these measures, in addition to expanding the collection of customs duties to include products made from aluminum, such as cookware, window frames, machinery, and sports equipment.