Talks between Washington and Brussels are nearing crunch time, with Trump threatening from July 9 to hike tariffs on most EU exports to the United States to 50 percent from 10 percent now.
The Commission, which handles trade policy on behalf of the bloc’s 27 members, consulted member states and businesses on a second list of goods that would be hit with tariffs as soon as mid-July, should the EU and the U.S. fail to agree to end their raging trade war.
EU capitals have been lobbying to remove sensitive goods from the lists, fearing that Trump could target them with reprisals.
Earlier this year, France, Italy and Ireland pushed to remove bourbon whiskey from a first retaliation package after Trump threatened a 200 percent levy on all wines, champagne and alcoholic products coming from the EU. This first package has not yet been implemented.
Among countries pushing back against retaliation is Ireland, a top EU exporter of pharmaceuticals to the U.S. that also hosts the European headquarters of many Silicon Valley tech giants. Germany is lobbying for a negotiated settlement to spare its big auto industry from duties, with Economy Minister Katharina Reiche in Washington D.C. this week for talks.
The European Commission declined to comment.
