The EU has decided today to suspend for 90 days the counterduties to the USA decided yesterday, Wednesday 9 April. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on social X after President Donald Trump decided yesterday to stop his reciprocal duties for 90 days. "We have taken note of the announcement by President Trump. We want to give negotiations a chance -wrote von der Leyen-. Pending the finalisation of EU countermeasures, which have received strong support from our member states, we will suspend them for 90 days. If the negotiations are not satisfactory, our countermeasures will come into force , he adds. Preparatory work for further countermeasures is continuing. As I said, all options remain on the table".

Yesterday, government representatives, meeting in the Trade Barriers Committee, approved the four annexes containing US goods subject to tariffs: only Hungary voted no. The first package of countermeasures, the one in response to US tariffs on steel and aluminium, worth 4 billion Euros and was due to be collected next Tuesday: from 16 May, instead, there were counterduties for the products of the second and third annexes, more substantial since it is 13,5 billion Euros, while the last tranche of 3.5 billion Euros on almonds and soya beans was due to be collected from 1 December. The total is 21 billion Euros. 

Counterduties approved yesterday by Brussels were 25% (10% in some cases limited) to meet US tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium. A few hours after the EU decision, President Trump decided to suspend reciprocal duties for all (except China), but they remain in force in reduced version, at 10%, anyway half of the previous 20% valid for the EU. Even the tariffs on steel and aluminum are still standing (along with those on cars at 25%), but despite everything the Commission has decided to suspend its counterduties to facilitate negotiations with Trump.