EU Plans €72B Retaliatory Tariffs on US Aircraft, Cars, Bourbon

The European Union is preparing to impose retaliatory tariffs on approximately €72 billion worth of U.S. goods, including Boeing aircraft, American cars, bourbon whiskey, chemicals, medical devices, and agricultural products, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's planned 30% tariffs on EU exports starting August 1, 2025. This second package of countermeasures was reduced from an initial proposal targeting €95 billion worth of imports after consultations with EU member states and businesses, aiming to balance trade conditions, consider alternative supply sources, and minimize relocation risks. Despite lobbying efforts by some governments to exclude sensitive sectors like bourbon and aircraft, the EU has finalized the list to pressure the U.S. administration to reconsider its tariff decision. The EU's strategy also considers potential economic impacts on industries within member states and seeks to avoid targeting military imports. These tariffs represent the EU's fallback plan if negotiations with the Trump administration fail to halt the U.S. tariffs and reflect escalating trade tensions between the two economies.