The EU will fight a US trade war by targeting bourbon, blue jeans, Harley-Davidson bikes and steel in US$3.3 billion counter-action
The EU is set to target iconic US exports such as Harley-Davidson bikes and bourbon whiskey if America imposes aluminium and steel tariffs
From blue jeans to motorbikes and whiskey, the EU’s trade war hit list – which is expected to come into play if the US follows through on its commitment to impose tariffs on the economic bloc at midnight in Washington on Thursday – reads like a catalogue of emblematic American exports.
The European Union drew up the list in March but pledged not to activate it unless US President Donald Trump followed through on his threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on steel imports and 10 per cent on aluminium – which he confirmed he would do on Thursday morning.
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The list does not specifically name brands but European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker spelt out in March that the bloc was “preparing import duties for US products including Harley-Davidson, Bourbon and Levi’s jeans.”
The EU sent the list to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on May 18, in anticipation of Washington’s decision to go through with the tariffs. The measures could be ready to unleash 30 days after that date.
The EU estimates the US tariffs would cost the bloc around 2.8 billion euros (US$3.27 billion) and its counter measures aim to penalise imports from the United States to the same value, while also generating political pressure on Trump at home from industries whose exports would be hit.