On Monday, 1 July, the Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer proposed additional products worth €4 billion to offset the impact of the respective European subsidies paid to aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
They mainly belong to the European agri-food sector, confirming that the latter will especially suffer from these sanctions (see EUROPE 12257/13 and 12238/1).
Customs duties on imports of dairy products, cheese, cold meats, olives, waffles, etc., could be increased. Whisky as well as certain chemical and metal products are also included on this second list, derived from 89 additional tariff subheadings not included on the first list.
Mr Lighthizer’s office had published an initial draft of the list of European products (worth $21 billion) on 12 April.
According to the USTR notice, these products could be subject to duties of up to 100%.
The Office will hear comments from interested persons concerning this list at a hearing that will be held in Washington on 5 August.
The EU and the United States still have a choice between an amicable settlement or tariff sanctions. American sources had recently pointed out to EUROPE that Washington preferred a negotiated solution to sanctions.
This summer, the WTO will publish the amount of damage suffered and, thus, the amount of U.S. retaliation allowed.
To consult the list: https://bit.ly/324jw3H (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)