The EU notified the WTO of its intention to respond to US tariffs
The European Union has notified the world trade organization (WTO) on the intention to adopt reciprocal measures in response to the increase of import duties from the US.
In the list of goods that may fall under the duties were, in particular, strawberries and peanut butter produced in the territory of the United States. Earlier, the President of the United States Donald trump signed a Memorandum allowing to raise tariffs on steel and aluminium from China, Japan, Russia, the EU, Turkey and several other countries by 25%. It can cost around $2.8 billion to European companies that are now supplying the American market for these metals is approximately $4 billion.
Informed about its intention to retaliate against us duties stated China published a list of more than a hundred positions, which can be increased import duties. Also his intention to impose retaliatory tariffs WTO notified to the Japanese authorities, noting that they have a right to impose duties on American goods by about $451 million to compensate for economic costs.
Earlier, the US delayed the introduction of duties on steel and aluminum from the EU, Mexico and Canada for a month. The question of fees was discussed at the meeting of Donald trump with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Washington, according to The Wall Street Journal. The sources reported that the President directly linked the abolition of duties with Germany’s refusal construction of the gas pipeline “Nord stream-2” which can increase the supply of American liquefied natural gas to the European market. According to sources, the Chancellor refused, offering “more cooperation in the gas sphere”.