Brussels: EU Member States voted on Wednesday in favor of the first trade countermeasures against US tariffs. The European Union announced that these new measures, targeting approximately USD 20 billion worth of US goods, will come into effect starting April 15.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the EU Commission said in a press release that EU member states voted in favor of its proposal to impose trade countermeasures against the United States. The Commission's proposal was made "in response to the March decision by the US to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the EU." It added that the European Commission considers US tariffs "unjustified and damaging," as they have caused "economic harm to both sides, as well as to the global economy."
The statement emphasized that "these measures can be suspended at any time should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome." It stressed the EU's "clear" preference for finding negotiated solutions with the United States that are "balanced and mutually beneficial." Today's vote of approval by Member States means that once the Commission's internal procedures are concluded and the implementing act is published, the countermeasures will come into effect. Tariffs will start being collected starting April 15.
US President Donald Trump had previously rejected calls to suspend the reciprocal tariffs announced last week, despite strong international objections to them.