The European Union says it could hit US imports worth 20-billion dollars with tariffs, in retaliation to subsidies to Boeing.

Brussels has released a list of wide-ranging American goods subject to tariff. This comes a week after Washington targeted a list of EU products in a tit-for-tat measure for EU subsidies towards Airbus. Mariam Zaidi tells us more about the transatlantic tariff dispute over aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing.

It's a trade dispute that dates back some 15 years with no solution yet between Airbus and Boeing. Two giants of the aviation industry, both accused of receiving government subsidies, and both caught in the middle of ongoing transatlantic trade tensions. But could the renewed Airbus, Boeing spat be part of a much wider trade strategy?

FABIAN ZULEEG EUROPEAN POLICY CENTER "I think Donald Trump has always believed that America's trade deficit with many countries shows that America is disadvantaged. And he's promised to his electorate that he will do something about it. He will not stop. For the moment, it's Europe again, but overall this fight against what he sees as unfair trade is going to continue."

Last month, the World Trade Organization ruled in favor of the European Union's position that the United States had failed to remove trade distorting subsidies to Boeing that could severely damage European aircraft manufacturer Airbus' market opportunities. After the U.S. threatened to impose tariffs on 11 billion dollars of EU products ranging from wine and cheese to Airbus jets, the EU Commission drafted a list of its own. It includes frozen fish, handbags, car parts and helicopters.

JIM BRUNSDEN FINANCIAL TIMES "What's really going on is that the EU and U.S. are supposed to sit down for more general trade talks in the coming months. Those trade talks were conceived as a way to ease transatlantic trade tensions and specifically to avert the risk that Donald Trump ends up hitting EU car industry and that's a whole ball of problems that predates these latest steps on Boeing or Airbus."

The EU approved its mandate to start trade deal negotiations with the United States on Monday. And the EU's trade commissioner is eager to get the ball rolling.

CECILIA MALMSTROM EU TRADE COMMISSIONER "This is limited but still meaningful win-win negotiations that we are offering. It's clearly in their hands. We are ready as soon as they are."

MARIAM ZAIDI BRUSSELS "Could those talks take the gas off rising transatlantic tensions? If not, the slippery slope of tit for tat retaliation may continue for a long time to come. Mariam Zaidi, CGTN, Brussels."