European Union officials have drawn up plans to impose levies on American imports, but questions abound about whether they would go through with them.The New York Times reports that European Union officials have drafted plans to impose tariffs on American imports, but there are doubts about whether they will follow through with them. The officials have been working to finalize a plan to retaliate against President Trump’s tariffs, which could potentially affect over $100 billion worth of American goods if negotiations for a new trade deal fail. However, there is uncertainty about whether the E.U. will actually go through with these tariffs.
Frances Burwell, a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Europe Center, has questioned whether the E.U. will follow through with their plans. The bloc has spent months preparing for potential retaliation, but has held off in favor of more talks. In April, they approved a plan to impose tariffs on $25 billion worth of American goods, but suspended them when Trump paused some tariffs. However, no deal has been reached and Trump recently announced plans to impose 30 percent tariffs on the E.U. starting on August 1st.
E.U. trade officials are now working on a second list of tariffs that would target an even larger list of American goods, including Boeing airplanes and Kentucky bourbon. This list, totaling $84 billion, was sent to member states on Monday and is awaiting a vote. The E.U. is preparing for the possibility of a trade war, as they would prefer to negotiate a solution but recognize that strength may be the only language Trump understands.
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