EU requests US tariff exemptions for wine, cheese and industrial goods

The European Commission has submitted a list of several hundred products to the United States, asking that the 15 % tariff imposed by the EU‑U.S. Trade and Cooperation Agreement be removed. The request covers high‑profile agro‑food items such as wine, Roquefort and Pecorino cheeses, olive oil, spirits and beer, as well as industrial products including agricultural machines, robotics and medical devices. The Commission says the list represents roughly €115‑150 billion in EU exports and that the bloc has already complied with its commitments under the agreement.

EU trade spokesman Olof Gill told reporters, "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." The EU exported €554 billion of goods to the United States last year. Negotiations have not yet begun, and the U.S. has said talks can start only after full implementation of the agreement.

The move aims to lower costs for exporters and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic by applying standard tariff rates to the listed goods.