An employee at the Bardstown Bourbon Company seals a barrel after it was filled with bourbon in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images
LONDON — The European Union and United States are to start talks to address the steel tariffs imposed by Washington D.C. during the presidency of Donald Trump.
In a joint statement Monday, the U.S. Trade Representative and the European Commission said they were “committed to engaging in these discussions expeditiously to find solutions before the end of the year that will demonstrate how the U.S. and EU can address excess capacity, ensure the long-term viability of our steel and aluminum industries, and strengthen our democratic alliance.”
A spokesperson for the European Commission added: “Our joint aim is to put an end to the WTO dispute.”
The United States imposed a 25% tariff on European steel and 10% tariff on aluminum back in June 2018 on the grounds of national security.
The EU contested the move from the start and after multiple failed attempts to reach a deal with the Trump administration, the bloc decided to take the case to the World Trade Organization and impose retaliatory measures on up to 6.4 billion euros ($7.78 billion) of U.S. exports.
The EU’s targeted products included Bourbon whiskey, peanut butter and orange juice.
This is a breaking news story and it is being updated.
