On 20 June 2018, the European Commission announced that it adopted the regulation putting in place the EU’s rebalancing measures in response to the US tariffs on steel and aluminium. The measures will immediately target a list of products worth €2.8 billion and will come into effect on Friday 22 June, when the European Union will begin collecting increased duty of 10%, 25%, 35% and 50% on selected products originating in the United States. Excerpts from the announcement:

The list of US imports that will now face an extra duty at the EU border includes steel and aluminium products, agricultural goods and a combination of various other products. By putting these duties in place the EU is exercising its rights under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

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Today’s announcement follows the notification of the full list to the WTO and its endorsement by the College of Commissioners on 6 June, following the US application of the full tariffs on EU steel and aluminium products. EU Member States have expressed their unanimous support for this approach.

The EU will rebalance bilateral trade with the US taking as a basis the value of its steel and aluminium exports affected by the US measures. Those are worth €6.4 billion. Of this amount, the EU will rebalance on €2.8 billion worth of exports immediately. The remaining rebalancing on trade valued at €3.6 billion will take place at a later stage – in three years’ time or after a positive finding in WTO dispute settlement if that should come sooner.

The EU rebalancing measures will be effective for as long as the US measures are in place, in line with the WTO Safeguards Agreement and EU legislation.

The Implementing Regulation, to be published tomorrow and entering into force on Friday, sets out the products and level of duties to be applied, both now and in the future, if necessary.

The list of products is the same as in the previous Implementing Regulation of 16 May and as notified to the WTO on 18 May.