EU asks US to cut 15% tariffs on wine, cheese and medical gear
The European Union has formally requested Washington exempt €115 billion worth of agricultural and medical exports from a sweeping 15% tariff, aiming to ease the cost burden on key European industries.
Brussels has asked Washington to exempt a wide range of European exports from a 15% tariff rate implemented under a bilateral trade deal struck last year. The request targets specific goods worth around €115 billion, including wine, spirits, beer, cheeses such as Roquefort and Pecorino, olives, olive oil, and medical devices and equipment.
The current tariff framework took effect in July after months of delays. Those holdups were fuelled by US President Trump's threats directed at Greenland and a US Supreme Court decision. Under the finalised pact, most EU exports to the United States are subject to a 15% levy. In contrast, American industrial goods enter the 27-nation bloc entirely duty-free.
This structural asymmetry is the driving force behind Brussels' latest diplomatic push. The €115 billion in goods earmarked for exemption accounts for a substantial portion of the €554 billion in total goods the EU exported to the US last year. Securing relief for these specific categories would directly benefit European agricultural producers and medical equipment manufacturers, who currently face a steep competitive disadvantage in the American market.
EU trade spokesman Olof Gill confirmed the bloc's strategy. "We have shared with the United States a broad list of EU export products, where we believe tariff reductions are possible, and we are engaging with the US on that list," Gill said.
The spokesman framed the effort as a mutually beneficial pursuit. "We really want to look at as many areas as possible where we can reduce or eliminate tariffs for the benefit of both sides, for the benefit of exporters, for the benefit of consumers," Gill added.
For European markets, the success or failure of this lobbying effort carries significant weight. The 15% levy acts as a direct tax on the profit margins of European exporters. If Washington grants the exemptions, it would restore pricing power for some of the continent's most recognizable consumer brands and critical medical supply chains. If the US rejects the list, European companies will continue operating under a trade arrangement that imposes heavier costs on European goods than on American industrial imports.
