EU urges Washington to exempt key exports from 15% tariff

The European Commission has proposed a broad list of European products it wants exempted from the United States' 15% tariff under the EU-US Turnberry agreement, arguing that Brussels has already fulfilled its commitments under the trade pact.

According to a proposal seen by Euractiv, the Commission is urging Washington to apply standard US tariff rates to hundreds of EU exports, ranging from premium agri-food products such as Roquefort cheese and olive oil to industrial robots, semiconductor equipment, and medical devices.

The document states that the European Union has already implemented its side of the agreement by eliminating tariffs on hundreds of US industrial and agricultural products from July 1, following the tariff deal reached in Turnberry, Scotland, last summer.

Brussels argues that the products selected for exemption either support US reindustrialization, benefit key American constituencies such as farmers, advance US energy and security objectives, or are considered irreplaceable.

The proposed exemption list includes several of Europe's best-known food and beverage exports to the United States. Among dairy products, Roquefort and Pecorino are the only cheeses specifically identified, alongside a broader category covering whole-wheel sheep's milk cheeses, including varieties suitable for grating.

The Commission is also seeking tariff exemptions for still and sparkling wines, brandy, cider, and beer. The proposal further covers spirits including whisky, gin, rum, vodka, and liqueurs, products that previously enjoyed duty-free access to the US before tariffs introduced during President Donald Trump's administration.

Other agricultural products on the list include olive oil, olives, pasta, truffles, mushrooms, cured pork products, as well as seafood such as tuna, smoked salmon, sea bass, and octopus.

The industrial section focuses on agricultural machinery, industrial robots, electrical equipment, semiconductor manufacturing tools, and chemicals. The healthcare category includes surgical sutures, wound dressings, ostomy products, diagnostic kits, dental cements, laboratory glassware, and operating tables.

The Commission notes in the proposal that it "reserves the right to modify or expand the proposal."

Speaking at the European Parliament on July 14, European Commission trade official Matthias Jørgensen said the executive had compiled a list covering €150 billion worth of EU exports to the United States.

He cautioned that "it was still too early to say how the talks would evolve," but stressed that the Commission would pursue the matter "vigorously."

According to the report, US officials had declined to enter discussions on product-specific exemptions until the European Union had formally implemented its obligations under the Turnberry agreement.

By Vafa Guliyeva