President Donald Trump’s 25-percent levies took effect just after midnight struck in Washington, “with no exceptions or exemptions”, as promised by the White House -- despite countries’ efforts to avert them.
They will target US states controlled by Trump's Republican Party as well as goods that the EU believes will hurt American businesses enough to force the president to row back.
“We deeply regret this measure,“ European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.
An EU official said the 27-country bloc wanted to “show strength” and give a response that “very clearly shows how we consider this completely unnecessary”, all while seeking to resolve the tensions through dialogue.
Von der Leyen estimated the US tariffs would target $28 billion worth of exports, and the European Union's response would affect the same amount of US products.
'Lose-lose scenario'
This will include soybeans produced in Louisiana, the home of US Speaker Mike Johnson, as well as beef and poultry from states that voted for Trump in the last election: Nebraska and Kansas.
The hope is that the targeted products “will provide the right incentives to the US to come to the table”, the official said.
“These tariffs, along with the EU's announced countermeasures, will only harm jobs, prosperity and security on both sides of the Atlantic,“ warned Malte Lohan, CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU.
But Washington has framed the move as a bid to protect US steel and American workers as the sector declines and faces fierce overseas competition, especially from Asia.
Amid fears the US move will lead to steel dumping in Europe, the bloc will monitor the situation and take action where necessary to protect European industry, officials say.
It's not the first time Trump has slapped tariffs on the metals.
As part of the EU's two-pronged approach to Trump's actions, von der Leyen said Brussels will allow the previous levies to take effect again automatically when their suspension ends on March 31.
And the EU formally launched a procedure on Wednesday to draw up and impose additional countermeasures.
The measures would be fully in place by mid-April unless Trump reverses course.
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