THE European commissioners Wednesday gave political endorsement to a proposal aiming to counter the possible U.S. steel and aluminium tariffs, saying the EU stands ready to react “proportionately and fully” in line with the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules once the U.S. measures affect EU’s interests.

The proposal was presented by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Vice-President Jyrki Katainen and Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom, according to a statement.

“The motivation behind the U.S. measures appears to be an economic safeguard measure in disguise - not a national security measure,” Malmstrom said at a press conference.

“That means that the EU is entitled to make use of the WTO Safeguards Agreement to rebalance benefits that we have given to the U.S. in the past. This would be done by carrying out measures that match the economic loss suffered by us because of the U.S. move,” she added.

An earlier report by Politico Europe said the EU is ready to roll out countermeasures against U.S. exports worth 2.8 billion euros (US$3.48 billion), including Levi’s jeans, Harley-Davidson motorbikes and bourbon whiskeys.

Malmstrom confirmed that the EU has prepared a list of products including a number of steel products, agricultural products and consumer goods, for imposing reciprocal tariffs if needed.

“Certain types of bourbon are indeed on the list as are other items such as peanut butter, cranberries, orange juice etc,” she said.

But the commissioner still hoped that “as a U.S. security partner, the EU would be excluded” from the U.S. tariffs target.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday last week that the United States is set to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and 10 percent for aluminum.

The White House said Wednesday that President Donald Trump may exempt Canada, Mexico and other countries from stiff tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum that he is expected to sign this week.

“There are potential carve-outs for Mexico and Canada based on national security and possibly other countries as well, based on that process,” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters, a reversal from the policy articulated by the White House just days ago that there would be no exemptions from Trump’s plan.

World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevedo on Monday called on members to avoid triggering an escalation of global trade barriers, urging them to reflect on the matter.

(Xinhua)