Tariffs: EU response targets Republican states

The countries of the European Union on Wednesday approved the first package of measures against the tariffs announced by the United States.

The proposal by Brussels is a response to the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed last month by the White House and which came into effect on March 12.

The package approved by the EU provides for tariffs of 25% and in a few cases 10%, affecting US products by more than $22 billion.

The list of products includes soybeans, meat, tobacco, iron, steel and aluminum, aiming to hit US sectors most dependent on transatlantic exports.

Republican states in the EU's crosshairs

According to an analysis by POLITICO on 2024 trade data, tariffs imposed by the EU will affect Republican states by $13.5 billion.

The EU's No. 1 target is soybeans, a commodity of great economic and symbolic importance to the Republican Party.

The United States is the second largest producer and exporter of soybeans in the world, and the tariffs imposed by the EU could profoundly affect the states producing this seed. According to POLITICO, 82.5% of US soybean exports come from Louisiana.

Moreover, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in 2024 Louisiana ranked as the fourth largest goods exporting state, exporting $87 billion in goods to the world and $20.8 billion to the European Union. Also, in 2022, Louisiana's exports generated about 238,000 jobs.

According to POLITICO, "once the official list of products is published, the EU is expected to target beef from Kansas and Nebraska, poultry from Louisiana, auto parts from Michigan, cigarettes from Florida and wood products from North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama."

Other affected products would also include "ice cream from Arizona, handkerchiefs from South Carolina, electric blankets from Alabama, ties and bow ties from Florida and washing machines from Wisconsin."

"Pasta from Florida and South Carolina would also face some tariffs.", according to POLITICO

The European Commission applauded the decision made on Wednesday by the bloc's countries and affirmed that the measures "can be suspended at any time" should the US agree to a "fair and balanced" deal.