The EU is considering delaying its first set of tariffs on US goods to the middle of April, a senior Brussels official said today (20 March).
The bloc has been planning to introduce the tariffs in two steps, starting on 1 April and then from 13 April.
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Speaking in a joint hearing of the Committee on International Trade today (20 March), EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said the bloc was “considering to align the timing of the two sets of EU countermeasures, so we can consult with member states on both lists simultaneously.”
The first set of counter-tariffs, initially due to come in on 1 April, are now expected to come into force from “mid-April”, Šefčovič said, noting the move was in response to the US’s planned implementation of “additional tariffs” from 2 April.
Following the EU’s announcement of counter-tariffs on 12 March, US President Donald Trump announced on social media the following day plans to bring in a 200% tariff on the EU’s alcohol imports to the US.
In a post on Truth Social at the time, Trump highlighted the EU’s plan to revive a “nasty” 50% levy on US whiskey.
The EU plans to bring in a second set of counter-measures on 13 April, including tariffs on food products like meat, seafood, dairy and confectionery, plus drinks such as beer, wine, gin, rum, Tequila and non-alcoholic drinks derived from milk.
Stakeholders have been asked to submit their views on the retaliatory action by 26 March.
Šefčovič said today: “This approach would allow us to deliver a firm, proportionate, robust and well-calibrated response to the US measures”, and give the bloc time to negotiate and “find a mutually agreeable resolution”.
He added, from 2 April, the bloc would “need to assess the action take by the US and keep a flexible approach so as to calibrate our response accordingly”.
