EU prepares $24.5 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods amid trade standoff

The European Union has drawn up a retaliatory list of tariffs worth $24.52 billion on American goods, according to Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who confirmed the move during a high-level meeting of EU trade ministers in Brussels.

The potential sanctions come in response to the United States’ decision to impose a 30% tariff on select European imports—an action that has sparked concern across EU capitals and revived fears of a renewed transatlantic trade war.

Tajani said the tariffs were ready to be deployed if ongoing trade negotiations between the EU and the U.S. collapse, underscoring the seriousness of the bloc’s intent to defend its economic interests. “We cannot allow unfair treatment of our exporters,” Tajani stated. “We’re ready, but we hope reason will prevail.”

The tariff list reportedly includes American exports such as agricultural products, automobiles, and industrial machinery, although the final scope remains under negotiation.

 

 

The EU’s trade ministers, meeting urgently in Brussels, are discussing coordinated measures in light of what they view as disproportionate and politically motivated trade restrictions imposed by the United States.

This escalation adds another layer of complexity to already fragile transatlantic relations, particularly as the U.S. heads toward a divisive election season. Analysts note that the EU’s preemptive strike is meant to pressure Washington back to the negotiating table rather than immediately ignite a full-blown trade war.