EU countermeasures in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports
Countermeasures could apply to U.S. exports worth up to €26 billion
The European Commission (EC) on March 11, 2025, announced countermeasures in response to U.S. tariffs on EU steel and aluminum imports that came into effect today, March 12, 2025 (read TradeNewsFlash).
The EC release explains a two-step approach:
- The EC will allow the suspension of existing 2018 and 2020 countermeasures against the United States to lapse on April 1, targeting U.S. products in response to economic harm on €8 billion of EU steel and aluminum exports.
- New countermeasures on U.S. exports, affecting more than €18 billion of EU exports, will be introduced by mid-April. The process for new countermeasures will proceed under the EU's Enforcement Regulation, with a two-week stakeholder consultation running until March 26.
In total, the EU countermeasures could apply to U.S. exports worth up to €26 billion to match the economic scope of the U.S. tariffs.