Factbox-Dental floss and diamonds in EU sights to counter U.S. tariffs

Philip Blenkinsop

Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 7:06 AM 3 min read

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - From dental floss to diamonds, bathrobes to bourbon, the U.S. products chosen by the European Union for counter-tariffs adjacent period are designed to marque workers successful Republican-voting states and businesses questions U.S. President Donald Trump's commercialized policy.

The European Commission plans to enforce other duties connected up to 26 cardinal euros ($28.4 billion) of U.S. imports successful effect to U.S. 25% tariffs connected alloy and aluminium and has drawn up a database of products.

This is the plan.

WHAT IS THE EU RESPONDING TO?

Trump has reinstated 2018 tariffs connected alloy and aluminium semi-finished and finished products, specified arsenic alloy pipes and tin foil.

Washington has besides raised the complaint applicable connected aluminium to 25% from 10%, removed aggregate exemptions and extended the tariffs to screen products made from the metals, including cookware, model frames, machinery, gym instrumentality and furniture.

WHICH MEASURES WILL EU IMPOSE FIRST?

The EU responded successful 2018 to Trump's tariffs, which it said affected 6.4 cardinal euros of EU metallic shipments, with duties connected 2.8 cardinal euros of U.S. imports. Tariffs connected a further 3.6 cardinal euros of imports were owed to instrumentality effect 3 years later, but were suspended arsenic President Joe Biden and the bloc agreed a truce.

The suspension runs to March 31, truthful these tariffs volition automatically reapply connected April 1, targeting U.S. products including alloy and aluminium, bourbon, motorcycles and orangish juice.

The EU says the U.S. tariffs volition interaction 8 cardinal euros of EU alloy and aluminium exports. The counter-measures correspond to 4.5 cardinal euros, a little worth than earlier owed to Britain's exit from the EU and due to the fact that of an wide diminution successful U.S. shipments of the listed products.

The tariff rates alteration from 10% to 50%, the second applying to dishwashers and washing machines, trousers, blankets and ceramic tableware. For bourbon, motorcycles and centrifugal boats, they would besides treble to 50%.

WHICH NEW PRODUCTS ARE THE EU TARGETTING?

The Commission, which coordinates EU commercialized policy, has besides drawn up different database of U.S. imports valued astatine 21 cardinal euros. It plans to constrictive that down to 18 cardinal euros worthy and enforce tariffs connected them connected April 13.

The database includes poultry, different meat, dairy products, fruit, cereals, rootlike oils, beer, wines, wood, carpets, covering and glassware, arsenic good arsenic chewing gum, dental floss, diamonds, tract mowers, vacuum cleaners and toilet paper.

EU officials said the database is designed to see products of a precocious iconic oregon symbolic value, minimising symptom to the EU and much focused connected Republican states, specified arsenic Louisiana, a soybean shaper and location to House talker Mike Johnson, oregon Kansas and Nebraska, some nutrient and poultry producers.