Donald Trump Considers 17% Tariffs on European Food and Farm Exports
Reports indicate that Donald Trump warned of imposing 17% tariffs on food and agricultural products from Europe during recent discussions in Washington.
These measures would affect a wide range of goods, including Belgian chocolate, Irish butter, and olive oil from Italy, Spain, and France—all popular items in the U.S. market.
According to sources, the EU trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, received the warning on Thursday during a meeting with U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The Financial Times first reported the development.
EU ambassadors were informed of the situation on Friday.
While the EU remains hopeful for a high-level political agreement, the threat underscores the U.S.’s firm stance in negotiations, seeking significant concessions. Trump has previously criticized the EU’s trade policies, calling them tougher than China’s.
Trump has also announced plans to notify multiple countries of his intention to enforce permanent tariffs, ranging from 10% to 70%, after July 9—his deadline for tariff negotiations with over 60 nations.
“The rates could be as high as 70% or as low as 10% to 20%, but notifications will begin soon,” he told reporters.
Olof Gill, an EU trade spokesperson, stated late Friday that the bloc still prefers a negotiated resolution.
He mentioned that “progress was made toward an agreement in principle during this week’s talks,” adding that discussions would continue over the weekend.
However, the EU is also preparing countermeasures, including tariffs on products such as whiskey and aircraft, should negotiations collapse before Wednesday.
Earlier, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the EU is pursuing a broad agreement, acknowledging that reaching a detailed deal in the limited time would be challenging.
The EU is also pushing for urgent tariff relief in key industries, including automobiles, where duties have risen from 2.5% to 27.5% under Trump’s trade policies.
“We’re aiming for an agreement in principle—similar to what the UK achieved,” she said during a visit to Denmark.
The 90-day suspension of Trump’s proposed tariffs ends Wednesday for over 60 nations, including the EU, which recently faced threats of 50% duties.
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