EU Says New US Tariffs Comply with Trade Deal

The European Commission said new tariffs imposed by the United States on Friday on 60 trading partners, including the European Union, are consistent with the trade agreement the two sides reached last year in Turnberry, Scotland, and leave room for further negotiations on tariff exemptions.

Washington introduced tariffs of 10% and 12.5%, saying the affected trading partners had not done enough to prevent imports of goods produced with forced labor.

Unlike most of the affected countries, the new tariffs on EU imports are not being added to existing duties. Several exemptions also remain in place, including for cork, diamonds, aircraft and generic medicines.

However, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas rejected the US claim that the bloc had failed to do enough to combat forced labor, calling the accusation unfounded. She said the EU had fulfilled its obligations under the trade agreement and that Brussels would seek an explanation from Washington over the new measures.

(Reuters, lud)