The European Union has abruptly delayed new tariffs on American imports, with mid-April now set as the earliest possible date. The move comes after President Donald Trump warned of severe retaliation if the EU targeted iconic U.S. products.
Originally, EU officials planned to slap duties on American whiskey, motorcycles and denim by the end of March. But growing concern over Trump’s threat to impose a 200% tax on European alcohol exports led to a pause in the rollout.
The European Commission said the delay was needed to finalize the list of products, but internal pressure tells a different story. Several European leaders have been urging restraint, fearful that Trump’s aggressive trade stance could spiral into a broader economic battle.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was among the most vocal, pushing back on the EU’s strategy and calling for common-sense diplomacy. France’s Francois Bayrou and Ireland’s Michael Martin also joined in, questioning whether more tariffs would help or hurt their economies.
Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs — which went into effect earlier this month — triggered the EU response. The plan was designed to target $28 billion in U.S. exports, many of them tied to Republican-led states.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic indicated talks with the U.S. are stalled for now and likely won’t resume until after April 2, when the U.S. launches a broader series of reciprocal trade measures.
Trump’s White House has shown no signs of backing off. The president made clear that if European officials push forward with taxing American whiskey, they should expect devastating consequences for Europe’s wine and liquor industries.
