Europe unveils the list of American products that are going to become more expensive

This Wednesday, the European Union took its first retaliatory measures against the trade war imposed by Donald Trump.

And while these countermeasures were supposed to respond to the 25% taxes on steel and aluminium imposed by Washington, it turns out that the European Union has just suspended them for three months. After the 90-day pause granted by Donald Trump, the Europeans have decided to "give the negotiations a chance", says Ursula von der Leyen. "If the negotiations aren't satisfactory," the countermeasures will be applied. And here are the products they will affect...

First, agricultural products

The 27 EU member states have been subjected to Washington's tariffs three times in recent months. They have decided to organise their response around a common logic. On Wednesday, each country voted and agreed to tax an initial list of American goods. This includes several agricultural products such as poultry, soybeans, rice, and fruits.

Then cosmetics

Furthermore, the EU plans to apply duties of up to 25% on motorcycles, wood, electrical equipment, plastic products, and cosmetics. The idea was, among other things, to target goods coming from Republican states, the party of the American president.

But not bourbon

For its part, Brussels has chosen to spare bourbon, which isn't on its list of targeted products. As indicated by L’Indépendant, wine-producing countries, including France and Italy, feared that this measure would lead to retaliations against European wines and spirits.

The taxes will come into effect, for the most part, in mid-May.

(MH with melManon Pierre - Source: L’Indépendant - Illustration: ©Unsplash)