EU pauses countermeasures against US tariffs to allow space for negotiations

As part of the EU's push to find a negotiated outcome with the US, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is today in Washington DC to hold meetings with his US counterparts in order to explore the ground for a negotiated solution.  

As President von der Leyen made clear in her statement, the EU wants “to give negotiations a chance,” but should talks not prove satisfactory, the EU countermeasures will kick in. 

In addition to these now-suspended countermeasures against US tariffs on steel and aluminium, preparatory work on further EU countermeasures continues.  

The EU considers US tariffs unjustified and damaging, risking economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy. 

Next steps 

The Commission has adopted two legal acts on 14 April which, respectively, impose and suspend its countermeasures: 

• The first act imposes the EU countermeasures. 
• The second act suspends all such measures until 14 July 2025.

Background

On 10 February 2025, the US announced that it would impose 25% tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium and derivative products. President von der Leyen immediately warned that such tariffs are “bad for business, worse for consumers” and would trigger a firm and proportionate European response. These US tariffs were imposed on 12 March. 

The US tariffs of up to 25% apply on industrial-grade steel and aluminium, other steel and aluminium semifinished and finished products, and also their derivative commercial products (from machinery parts to knitting needles). 

In response, the EU announced a swift and proportionate plan to impose countermeasures on US goods exports, while consistently stating its preference for finding a negotiated solution with the US. 

On 9 April, EU Member States voted in favour of the European Commission's proposal. 

Later on 9 April, the US announced a 90-day pause on all universal tariffs impacting the EU, and the EU swiftly responded by announcing a pause on its intended countermeasures. 

On 14 April, the Commission adopted two implementing acts – one that adopts the EU countermeasures, and another act that immediately suspends them.

Concretely, the first implementing act, which imposes the EU response:  

• Calibrates the 2018 measures by reducing the duty rate level to maximum 25% across the board and revising its scope (annex I). 
• Introduces the new package of countermeasures to respond to the expansion of the US tariffs to new products and the increase of US tariffs on aluminium from 10 to 25% (annexes II-IV).