“These countermeasures can be suspended at any time, should the US agree to a fair and balanced negotiated outcome,” the European Commission said in a statement issued after EU member states greenlit the measures.
The levies are retaliation for US duties on steel and aluminium imposed last month – with Europe’s response to Trump’s latest tariffs salvo yet to be announced.
Duties will start to be collected under the measures on April 15, the commission said.
“The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy,” it added.
Brussels stressed it wanted a deal that “would be balanced and mutually beneficial”.
Trump has also slapped a 25-percent tariff on car imports from the EU, and targeted the bloc with so-called reciprocal tariffs of 20 percent.
An EU spokesman said its response to those measures could be unveiled as early as next week. (AFP)
