EU Lists US Goods for Potential Tariffs Amid Trade Tensions

The European Union has proposed a list of US goods worth €72 billion to impose tariffs on, including aircraft, machinery, cars, chemicals, and medical devices. The move is a response to US tariffs on cars and car parts and a baseline tariff of 10%. US President Donald Trump has threatened a 30% baseline tariff on EU imports from August 1, which EU officials deem unacceptable. The EU is seeking to strike a deal to avoid the heavy tariff blow.

The European Union has proposed a list of US goods worth €72 billion to impose tariffs on, including aircraft, machinery, cars, chemicals, and medical devices. The move is a response to US tariffs on cars and car parts and a baseline tariff of 10%. US President Donald Trump has threatened a 30% baseline tariff on EU imports from August 1, which EU officials deem unacceptable. The EU is seeking to strike a deal to avoid the heavy tariff blow.

EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič confirmed that the EU is preparing possible countermeasures against the United States in response to Trump's planned tariffs on European imports. The EU member states discussed a revised list of US goods worth 72 billion euros that could face retaliatory tariffs if no trade agreement is reached by 1 August [1].

The revised list is a scaled-back version of the initial 95 billion euro draft. After consultation with stakeholders and national governments, the scope was narrowed to 72 billion euros in US products. This would be in addition to the 21 billion euro list prepared in response to earlier US tariffs on aluminium and steel, which have been placed on hold until 1 August to give diplomacy a chance [1].

The EU is working to "rebalance" the trade relationship and has not ruled out the use of the anti-coercion instrument, referred to as a "bazooka", which could target US services exports among other sectors. The EU is taking a step-by-step approach, prioritizing negotiations while preparing for all possible outcomes [1].

The list of targeted US goods includes aircraft and aircraft parts, machinery, cars and car parts, chemicals and plastics, medical devices and equipment, electrical equipment, and agricultural products. The total figure is down from an earlier proposal to impose retaliatory tariffs on €95 billion of U.S. goods [2].

The EU is trying to strike a careful balance between folding and fighting back against Trump’s latest tariff threats. It has postponed a first round of measures, covering €21 billion in U.S. goods, until Aug. 6 to allow time to negotiate a trade agreement [2].

The European Union is under pressure to prevent the tariffs from coming into effect or risk further escalation. Economists and analysts warn that the threat of a 30% tariff rate could have significant economic implications for both the EU and the US [3].

The EU is still aiming to come to an agreement with the US before the tariffs kick in. The European Union has been left scrambling after US President Donald Trump said he would slap a 30% tariff on goods imported from the bloc beginning Aug. 1. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Sefcovic on Monday told reporters that the letter had been received with "regret and disappointment" [4].

References:
[1] https://www.belganewsagency.eu/eu-considers-retaliatory-tariffs-on-us-goods-worth-72-billion-euros
[2] https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-to-hit-us-aircraft-cars-and-food-in-latest-retaliatory-strike/
[3] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-14/eu-to-hit-boeing-ba-us-cars-bourbon-if-it-retaliates-against-trump-tariffs
[4] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/14/trumps-30percent-tariff-letter-leaves-eu-scrambling-to-bring-us-on-side.html