EU countries support 30 percent retaliatory tariff on US goods

BRUSSELS — The European Commission received broad support from EU member countries on Thursday for a single round of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods if no trade deal is reached with the Trump administration, two EU diplomats told POLITICO.

Some €93 billion in U.S. products — ranging from soybeans to aircraft — would face tariffs of up to 30 percent, though not all of them would see such a high rate.

With the vote, in which only Hungary objected, the EU tariffs will not take immediate effect. Rather, they will remain suspended until Aug. 7 to allow time to strike a deal with the United States.

The Commission can decide at short notice to suspend the tariffs for longer, in case that more time is needed to hash out a deal, trade spokesperson Olof Gill told the daily briefing. “The EU is focused on finding a negotiated outcome with the U.S.,” Gill reiterated, declining to give a play-by-play update on the negotiations.

Talks between the EU and U.S. have picked up pace again after Trump sent a letter threatening 30 percent U.S. tariffs on all imports from the EU if no deal is reached by Aug. 1. The two sides are now eyeing a deal which would set a baseline U.S. tariff of 15 percent after Trump announced a similar accord with Japan.