EU: The European Union has sent the World Trade Organisation (WTO) lists of products on which it could impose sanctions in response to the United States' decision to impose steep tariffs on steel imports.
The move is a formal measure to enable the EU to take action if the US does not offer compensation for the tariffs, which Brussels says are illegal.
The Commission must notify the WTO now if it wants eventually to apply sanctions. The EU member-states must give their final approval before any measures are enacted.
The first list is worth €378 million in duties and the second, longer list, is worth €606 million. If the US does not offer compensation, the Commission will apply the first list from June 18th. It imposes 100 per cent duties on a range of goods including fruit juices, rice, steel products and some textiles.
If the WTO rules against the US in the trade dispute and Washington fails to abandon the tariffs, the Commission will apply the second list.
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