EU countries approves initial retaliatory measures against US tariffs

BRUSSELS -- European Union (EU) member states on Wednesday backed the bloc's first package of retaliatory measures against US President Donald Trump's tariffs.

In a statement, the European Commission condemned the US tariffs as "unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as to the global economy."

According to media outlets Euractiv and Politico, 26 of the bloc's 27 member states voted in favor during Wednesday's session, signaling overwhelming support for fighting back against Trump's tariff measures.

The European Commission proposed the retaliatory duties on Monday, setting most of them at 25 percent. The tariffs target a range of US imports in response to Washington's levies on steel and aluminum.

The list spans from agricultural to industrial products such as soybeans, poultry, tobacco, iron, motorcycles, dental floss, and both steel and aluminum. These goods totaled around 22 billion euros ($24.36 billion) last year.

The tariffs will be introduced in three stages. The first set, on goods like cranberries and orange juice, will take effect on April 15. A second round, covering items such as steel, meat, white chocolate, and polyethylene, will follow on May 16. The final phase, targeting almonds and soybeans, is scheduled for Dec 1.

These steps mark the EU's initial response to the broader transatlantic trade dispute. In addition to metals, the Trump administration previously announced a 25 percent tariff on EU cars and a so-called "reciprocal" tariff of 20 percent on nearly all other EU imports.

The European Commission is expected to propose additional retaliatory measures against other US tariffs as early as next week. "I expect that will happen early next week. Also early next week is the second phase of our response to US tariffs, this time on cars and reciprocal tariffs," European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill told a press conference Tuesday.

The European Commission also repeated its preference "to find negotiated outcomes with the US, which would be balanced and mutually beneficial."

"These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome," it said. (1 euro = 1.11 dollar)