The European Union announced that it will impose “strong but proportional” customs duties on a package of US imports as of next April, in response to a fee of 25% imposed by Washington on steel and aluminum imports and began their application today, Wednesday.
UNHCR president Ursula von der Line said in a statement that the bloc expresses its “deep regret” of the fees imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump.
“The customs duties are taxes that harm business, and more consumers,” she added, noting that “jobs are at stake. Prices will rise in Europe and the United States.”
The European response is divided into two phases:
First, as of next April 1, new fees will be imposed on various American products, including:
- Alcoholic beverages (such as borbon).
- Motorcycle (such as Harley-Davidson).
- Clothes (like jeans).
- Other industrial and agricultural products.
The second stage begins in mid -April, and after consultations with member states, the list of targeted products will be expanded to include:
- Agricultural products, such as cows meat, poultry, seafood, nuts, eggs, dairy products, sugar, and vegetables.
- Industrial products, such as steel, aluminum, textiles, leather goods, home appliances, tools, plastic, and wood products.
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The value of the effect
US procedures will affect products worth $ 28 billion, according to the estimates of the European Commission, which confirmed that its planned fees will affect American commodities with a parallel value.
Customs duties entered 25% imposed by the Trump administration on his country’s steel and aluminum imports in the first minute of the dawn today, Wednesday, to take the United States an additional step towards a trade war with its main partners.
These fees will include imports from countries such as Canada, China, the European Union, Japan and Australia, while Trump confirms that its goal is to enhance the production of the iron and steel industry in the United States, which is declining year after year in light of sharp competition, especially from Asian countries.
It is likely that these exorbitant customs duties on these two metals will increase the cost of producing almost everything in the United States, from home appliances to cars and drinks, threatening to raise the prices of consumer in the future.
On April 1, the European counter -measures that were adopted in 2018 and 2020 are automatically re -worked in US customs duties during the first term of Trump, with the end of its suspension on March 31.
“For the first time, these re -balance measures will be adopted fully. Customs duties will be imposed on products ranging from ships to Bourbon (alcoholic drink), passing through motorcycles,” the commission said in a statement.
The new American drawings are much higher than those imposed during Trump’s first state between 2017 and 2021.
