EU countries approved a raft of tariffs targeting US goods including blue jeans, whiskey and motorcycles in retaliation against painful duties imposed by Trump on European products. Europe’s move fuels a growing transatlantic trade war just days after a disastrous G7 summit in Canada.
The European counter measures aimed at €2.8 billion euros ($3.3 billion) of American imports come after Trump on 1 June followed through on his threat to impose tariffs on European steel and aluminium exports. From blue jeans to motorbikes and whiskey, the EU’s hit-list of products targeted for tariffs with the US reads like a catalogue of emblematic American exports.
However, Trump abruptly rejected the text of a G7 statement and bitterly insulted his Canadian host, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump demanded America had been obliged to levy the metals tariffs as it has been exploited as the world’s “piggy bank” under existing arrangements.
His counterparts however said they were equally determined to protect “rules-based” international trade.
The European Commission has also launched a legal challenge against the US tariffs at the WTO.
