The office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) is planning to modify the list of European Union products subject to additional tariffs upon importation into the United States and increasing the tariff rate up to 100 percent. The USTR is accepting comments whether specific products should be either added to or deleted from the lists and whether the rate on specific products should be increased. Comments are due by July 26, 2020.

The current rate of additional tariffs is 25 per cent on EU products and 15 per cent on aircraft and aircraft parts. Products from the United Kingdom are also included. In addition to aircraft, the current lists of products include olives, wine, Irish and Scotch whiskies, cheese, oranges, lemons, sweaters, pullovers, sweatshirts, suits, swimwear, blankets, bed linen, axes, tweezers, hand tools, knives, printed books, lithographs and self-propelled machinery. The lists are grouped by product category and country. Accordingly, not all covered products from each EU country are included, so importers are advised to review the current and proposed lists.

Products proposed by the USTR to be added to the tariff lists include certain helicopters and aircraft, fish, cheese, fruit, coffee chocolate, olive oil, beer, vodka, certain chemicals, polyester staple fiber, high tenacity polyester yarn, cotton twill fabric, carpets, glassware, and lifting machinery.