EU plans to go ahead with Boeing tariffs against US
The European Union (EU) says it will press ahead with plans to impose tariffs on the imports of four billion dollars in US goods and services over illegal American support for plane maker Boeing.
The bloc made the announcement on Tuesday and said it would exercise the right to countermeasures awarded to it last month by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in a case against Boeing.
"We have made clear at every stage that we want to settle this long-running issue," EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told a news conference after a video meeting of EU trade ministers.
"Regrettably, despite our best efforts and due to lack of progress on the US side, we can confirm that the European Union will later today exercise our rights and impose counter-measures awarded to us by the WTO in respect to Boeing."
Dombrovskis underlined that the tariffs, set to target US exports of planes and parts and a range of farm produce, would take effect on Tuesday.
The EU official also reiterated an offer proposed by the bloc that it would suspend its measures if the United States did the same, but said Washington had so far not agreed to do so.
“As it has been stated on numbers of occasions from the EU side, we're ready to suspend or withdraw our tariffs anytime when the US suspends or withdraws their tariffs," Dombrovskis said.
Both the United States and the EU have signaled interest in settling a 16-year legal battle over subsidies to aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus, while accusing the other of refusing to talk seriously.
Last year, the WTO authorized the US to slap penalties on EU goods worth up to 7.5 billion dollars over European support for Boeing rival, Airbus.
Trade tensions have been mounting between Washington and Brussels over the past couple of years, with the administration of US President Donald Trump trying to reduce US trade deficits through tariffs.
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