The European Union is set to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on a range of US goods in response to American levies on steel and aluminum, according to a document obtained by AFP on Tuesday. Notably, bourbon has been excluded from the tariff list to safeguard European wine and spirits from retaliatory measures threatened by President Donald Trump.
The proposed tariffs, drafted following Trump’s metal duties that took effect last month, are part of a broader EU strategy to demonstrate resolve while pursuing negotiations to mitigate Washington’s aggressive trade policies. The decision to spare bourbon came after pressure from wine-exporting heavyweights France and Italy, who feared Trump’s promise of 200-percent tariffs on European alcoholic beverages in response.
The final tariff list, shared with EU member state representatives ahead of a Wednesday vote, targets products such as soybeans, poultry, rice, sweetcorn, fruit, nuts, wood, motorcycles, plastics, textiles, paintings, electrical equipment, cosmetics, and more. Bourbon, however, is conspicuously absent.
While Brussels has held off on retaliating against Trump’s recent 20-percent duties on EU imports—part of his global tariff campaign—EU states are united in efforts to avoid a full-blown trade war through dialogue. EU trade spokesman Olof Gill indicated that the European Commission could unveil its response to these new levies as soon as next week, following consultations with member states and industry stakeholders. Any final measures will require approval from EU capitals.
The EU’s retaliation to Trump’s 25-percent metals tariffs is unfolding in two phases. Starting mid-April, previously suspended levies from Trump’s first term will be reinstated. The second phase introduces new tariffs on US goods, as outlined in the document. If approved, most of these levies will kick in by mid-May, though some, like those on almonds, are slated for December.
Originally, Brussels estimated that US tariffs would hit $28 billion worth of EU exports, with its countermeasures designed to match that impact on US goods. However, EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic clarified on Monday that the response would fall short of that figure—around 26 billion euros—after taking member state concerns into account.
Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani underscored Rome’s opposition to targeting bourbon, warning on Monday that it would harm Italian wine exports. Speaking to reporters in Luxembourg during a meeting of EU trade ministers, he called the move “counterproductive” as they grappled with Trump’s latest tariff announcements from last week.
Meanwhile, the EU is preparing to reopen its embassy in Damascus, signaling a diplomatic shift, according to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. For more on this development, see Insiderpaper.