USTR Posts Notice on Possible Increase to Tariffs on EU

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will seek comment on whether to increase tariffs on the products already targeted in the Airbus dispute or add other EU products to the list, the agency said in a notice. USTR also seeks input on whether any EU products currently being tariffed should be removed. The comments are due Jan. 13, 2020.

The USTR notice includes two lists. The first list is of the current EU products that face tariffs. The second list is of the products that were previously proposed for the tariffs (see 1904090031 and 1907020010) but didn't end up on the final list, the agency said.

The USTR said it planned to consider increasing the tariff rates after a World Trade Organization panel rejected the EU claim that it has ended launch subsidies for Airbus and remedied their adverse effects on Boeing. The U.S. was authorized by the WTO to levy 100 percent tariffs on $7.5 billion in European imports, but instead chose to impose 10 percent tariffs on large civil aircraft and 25 percent tariffs on 150 tariff lines, primarily food products, but also some British apparel, German and British hand tools, lenses, books and self-propelled heavy equipment (see 1910020044).