EU member states on Wednesday approved initial retaliatory tariffs of 10 per cent to 25 per cent on US imports, which the European Commission says will be implemented next week.
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This includes special levies on items such as jeans and motorcycles from the United States, while US-made whiskey and other alcoholic beverages were removed from the commission’s proposed list.
Further counter-tariffs are due to be imposed in mid-May and at the end of the year, affecting products including beef, poultry and citrus fruits such as oranges or grapefruit. Additional tariffs on nuts and soybeans are planned for early December.
The tariffs approved on Wednesday are in response to the US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports imposed about a month ago.
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Stock markets in Asia resume slump as hefty US tariffs on China take effect
According to EU calculations, the US measures affect exports worth €26 billion (US$28.8 billion). The measures being imposed by Brussels target goods worth around €21 billion, according to EU sources.
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