The European Union will postpone imposing tariffs on US products until mid-April to allow more time for negotiations and avoid escalating trade tensions, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said on Thursday.
In response to Washington’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from 12 March, the European Commission had initially planned to reactivate 2018 tariffs on US goods from 1 April, alongside a new package of countermeasures scheduled for mid-April.
The EU had initially planned to reactivate 2018 tariffs on US goods starting 1 April, alongside a new package of countermeasures, in response to Washington’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports imposed on 12 March. However, Šefčovič stated that aligning the timing of both sets of countermeasures would provide “extra time” for talks with the US and allow for simultaneous consultations with EU member states.
We are now considering to align the timing of the two sets of EU countermeasures so we can consult member states on both lists simultaneously.
Šefčovič emphasised that this approach ensures a “firm, proportionate, robust, and well-calibrated” response while maintaining EU unity and addressing the concerns of affected sectors.
Following the EU’s announcement of countermeasures, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% duty on EU wines and spirits unless whiskey was removed from the EU tariff list. This has raised concerns among EU lawmakers and industry representatives, particularly from wine and spirits-producing countries like France, Italy, and Spain.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for “pragmatism” to avoid escalating trade tensions, while French politician François Bayrou suggested that the EU may have been “mistaken” in targeting American bourbon.
Šefčovič noted that ongoing discussions with the Trump administration are focusing on key sectors, including cars, chips, wood, steel, aluminium, and pharmaceuticals. He also addressed US complaints about EU restrictions on imports of lobster and shellfish, refuting a White House claim that the EU faces no barriers while American exporters do.
If no agreement is reached, the EU will “recalibrate” its response to account for the new reciprocal tariffs the US plans to impose on 2 April. Details of the US tariffs, including which goods will be affected and at what rates, remain unclear.
