The European Commission has unveiled a list of U.S. imports worth €72 billion (about $84 billion) that could face new EU levies if tariff negotiations with Washington break down. Commissioner Maros Sefcovic presented the proposal to EU trade ministers in Brussels, urging unity ahead of an August 1 deadline.
President Donald Trump rattled months of talks by threatening 30% duties on EU goods. In response, EU leaders are racing to strike a deal before that cutoff to avert wide-ranging tariffs. At the same time, Brussels is preparing a swift counterstrike if talks fail.
“We must be ready to respond if needed,” said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, whose country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency. He condemned the U.S. threat as “absolutely unacceptable and unjustified.”
Brussels has already targeted €21 billion of U.S. imports over earlier steel and aluminum duties. However, EU ministers agreed this week to hold off imposing those measures until after the summer, hoping diplomacy prevails.
With global markets on edge, businesses and consumers could feel the ripple effects of a full-blown trade standoff. Tech giants, auto makers and agricultural exporters on both sides of the Atlantic are watching closely as the clock ticks down.
For now, all eyes remain on Brussels and Washington to see if cooler heads will secure a deal or if both sides will dig in for a tariff showdown.
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EU says it could target $84 billion of U.S. goods if tariff talks fail
cgtn.com
