EU to impose counter tariffs on over $28 billion of U.S. goods

The European Union will impose counter tariffs on 26 billion euros (about $28.33 billion) worth of U.S. goods from next month in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminium, the European Commission said in a statement on Wednesday.

The commission said it will end the current suspension of tariffs on U.S. products on April 1 and will also put forward a new package of countermeasures on U.S. goods by mid-April.

"This matches the economic scope of the U.S. tariffs. Our countermeasures will be introduced in two steps. Starting with 1 April and fully in place as of 13 April," Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in a statement.

The commission has launched a "swift and proportionate" response, designed to defend European interests through two countermeasures, which include "the reimposition of the suspended 2018 and 2020 rebalancing measures" and "the imposition of a new package of additional measures."

"We are ready to engage in meaningful dialogue. I have entrusted Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic to resume talks to explore better solutions with the U.S.," von der Leyen added.

U.S. President Donald Trump's increased tariffs of 25 percent on steel and aluminium imports took effect on Wednesday as prior exemptions, duty free quotas and product exclusions expired.

(Cover: The flag of the European Union flies at the EU headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, March 6, 2025. /VCG)

(With input from Reuters)