The EU has adopted its first retaliatory measures against President Donald Trump's tariffs targeting more than €20 billion of US products, including soybeans, motorcycles and cosmetics.

The levies of up to 25% are in retaliation for US tariffs imposed last month on steel and aluminium. Europe's response to Trump's latest tariff salvo has not yet been announced, AFP reported. 

“These countermeasures can be suspended at any time if the US agrees to a fair and balanced outcome of the negotiations,” the European Commission (EU) said. 

The duties will begin to be collected within April 15. “The EU considers the US tariffs to be unjustified and harmful, causing economic harm to both parties as well as to the global economy,” the EC added.

Brussels stressed that it wanted to reach an agreement that “would be balanced and mutually beneficial”.

Trump also imposed a 25 percent tariff on EU auto imports and targeted the bloc with so-called reciprocal duties of 20 percent, which took effect on April 9, as well as in dozens of other countries.

An EU spokesman said its response to those measures could be unveiled as early as next week. | BGNES