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Current EU tariffs on US goods... Product Category Tariff Rate ----------------------------- -------------- Dairy Products (e.g., cheese, bu

Current EU tariffs on US goods... Product Category Tariff Rate ----------------------------- -------------- Dairy Products (e.g., cheese, butter) Up to 50% Processed Foods (e.g., chocolate, confectionery) 30-40% Alcoholic Beverages (e.g., whiskey, bourbon) 25% Steel and Aluminum Products 25% Automobiles 10% Industrial Goods 5-10%

dralley 2y ago
Trump thinks VAT is comparable to a tariff. VATs are not directly comparable to tariffs.
- hnburnsy 2y ago
  These are ex-VAT.
- simne 2y ago
  I'm sorry, but could you provide link, where stated, VATs applied to import? - As I know, usually VAT deducted from exported goods, but I really don't know how VAT work with import - usually on import used tariffs.
  - g-b-r 2y ago
    The VAT is applied at the time of sale to the end consumer, it's irrelevant if the product is imported or manufactured locally.
    - xp84 2y ago
      So strange to take VAT into account when it's not discriminating between local or import. By that logic the US has a 5-10% tariff on everything too since we have sales tax in like 47 states.
      - bitshiftfaced 2y ago
        The thinking may be that the asymmetry in taxes itself cause a trade imbalance. What can the country do with the extra tax money they receive compared to the lower tax country? They can spend it to fund infrastructure, goods, and jobs inside their own borders.
        xp84 2y ago
        Ok. Taking this argument completely in good faith, does it follow that they think no country should be allowed to have any sales tax? Or that it’s an act of economic oppression for any country to have a higher sales tax than our country does? I’m just confused, do they propose every country should abolish all their sales taxes to appease this strange and pretty novel point of view. I feel like Trump or whoever is running this import tax show has lost the plot on what they’re trying to accomplish.
        g-b-r 2y ago
        Well, in the end actually nothing else than the trade differences were considered, anyhow: https://xcancel.com/JamesSurowiecki/status/1907559189234196942 https://xcancel.com/JamesSurowiecki/status/19075591892341969...
        bitshiftfaced 2y ago
        I don't know if anyone's necessarily saying that. I think it's a matter of "if tax differences cause trade imbalances, then increasing tariffs by the other side is basically a fair response, since it is also a tax."
        g-b-r 2y ago
        Which are paid by the country's citizens
        bitshiftfaced 2y ago
        As are tariffs.
  - AnAfrican 2y ago
    https://vatdesk.eu/en/import-export-and-vat/#:~:text=of%20VAT%20rules.-,Is%20VAT%20due%20on%20the%20import%20of%20goods%20into%20Europe,are%20considered%20to%20be%20imported. https://vatdesk.eu/en/import-export-and-vat/#:~:text=of%20VA... >Yes, imports of goods are subject to VAT, with taxation taking place when the goods clear through customs.
acdha 2y ago
Weren’t things like that 25% steel and aluminum tariff added in response to Trump’s earlier tariffs, and allowed to lapse in 2020? https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/886/oj/eng https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/886/oj/eng https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2025/3/eu-to-impose-tariffs-on-us-goods-steel-aluminum-and-more-in-april-2025 https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2025/3/eu-to-impose-tariff...
District5524 2y ago
That's a bit misleading. Make no mistake, current US tariffs are UNIVERSAL. Not specific to e.g. chicken or automobiles or purebred horses. They cover absolutely everything. While you may see 38% or more tariff on chocolate, chocolate export to the EU from the US is hardly an important issue. And for dairy products, the tariff is a fixed euro amount per weight, not %. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_25_541 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_... https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/search?origin=US&destination=AT https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/search?origi...
nottorp 2y ago
I wasn't touching the first two categories anyway, tariffs or no tariffs. First one because I don't understand why i should risk a milk based product that has traveled for months across an ocean. Or even from another EU country, when I can buy stuff made in a 200 km radius around me. Second one because afaik it's legal to call "chocolate" something that does not contain any actual cocoa in the US.
- technothrasher 2y ago
  > Second one because afaik it's legal to call "chocolate" something that does not contain any actual cocoa in the US. Well, no. It cannot be called "chocolate" if it is something that consumers would expect to be made from actual chocolate. However, it can contain the term "chocolate" if cocoa or another cacao product is the sole source of its chocolate flavor, and as long as consumers have a pre-established understanding that it is likely to not be made from chocolate. For example, people generally understand that chocolate cake is likely made with cocoa, not chocolate, and so it can be labeled "chocolate cake". If there is no such general understanding, the product must be labeled "chocolate flavored". (See the US FDA CPG Sec 515.800, "Labeling of Products Purporting to be 'Chocolate' or 'Chocolate Flavored'") Now if we could just get them to stop calling chocolate products with dairy in them "dark" (I'm looking at you, Hershey...)
- SJC_Hacker 2y ago
  Cheese is the obvious one here. I can get a variety of foreign cheeses even at my local big-box grocery. Much better options than most domestically produced cheese. Irish/Finnish butter (Kerrygold/Finlandia) is also fairly popular here. If properly refrigerated, milk can last for months especially if pasteurized. You can also evaporate milk and it will last nearly forever unrefrigerated if kept dry
  - nottorp 2y ago
    > If properly refrigerated, milk can last for months especially if pasteurized. But why take the risk when you can have fresh? > You can also evaporate milk and it will last nearly forever unrefrigerated if kept dry Is that still milk? Cheeses yes, I randomly buy fancy cheeses. But most of my purchases are still boring predictable recent local cheese.
cbeach 2y ago
[flagged]
- dudefeliciano 2y ago
  Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.
AnAfrican 2y ago
Careful: The rate mentioned for alcoholic beverages (and confectionery) may include Excise Duty. Excise Duty usually have the non-discriminatory aspect of VAT : they’re also applied on local production.
piokoch 2y ago
Interesting that people are downvoting heavily those information. If reality does not match our view of the World, well, let's ignore reality. The truth is that EU kept higher tariffs on US goods than the other way, Trump is changing that and there is an outcry, because it was Trump who did that. If that was Kamala, nobody would even notice.

dralley 2y ago

Trump thinks VAT is comparable to a tariff. VATs are not directly comparable to tariffs.

hnburnsy 2y ago
These are ex-VAT.
simne 2y ago
I'm sorry, but could you provide link, where stated, VATs applied to import? - As I know, usually VAT deducted from exported goods, but I really don't know how VAT work with import - usually on import used tariffs.
- g-b-r 2y ago
  The VAT is applied at the time of sale to the end consumer, it's irrelevant if the product is imported or manufactured locally.
  - xp84 2y ago
    So strange to take VAT into account when it's not discriminating between local or import. By that logic the US has a 5-10% tariff on everything too since we have sales tax in like 47 states.
    - bitshiftfaced 2y ago
      The thinking may be that the asymmetry in taxes itself cause a trade imbalance. What can the country do with the extra tax money they receive compared to the lower tax country? They can spend it to fund infrastructure, goods, and jobs inside their own borders.
      - xp84 2y ago
        Ok. Taking this argument completely in good faith, does it follow that they think no country should be allowed to have any sales tax? Or that it’s an act of economic oppression for any country to have a higher sales tax than our country does? I’m just confused, do they propose every country should abolish all their sales taxes to appease this strange and pretty novel point of view. I feel like Trump or whoever is running this import tax show has lost the plot on what they’re trying to accomplish.
        g-b-r 2y ago
        Well, in the end actually nothing else than the trade differences were considered, anyhow: https://xcancel.com/JamesSurowiecki/status/1907559189234196942 https://xcancel.com/JamesSurowiecki/status/19075591892341969...
        bitshiftfaced 2y ago
        I don't know if anyone's necessarily saying that. I think it's a matter of "if tax differences cause trade imbalances, then increasing tariffs by the other side is basically a fair response, since it is also a tax."
      - g-b-r 2y ago
        Which are paid by the country's citizens
        bitshiftfaced 2y ago
        As are tariffs.
- AnAfrican 2y ago
  https://vatdesk.eu/en/import-export-and-vat/#:~:text=of%20VAT%20rules.-,Is%20VAT%20due%20on%20the%20import%20of%20goods%20into%20Europe,are%20considered%20to%20be%20imported. https://vatdesk.eu/en/import-export-and-vat/#:~:text=of%20VA... >Yes, imports of goods are subject to VAT, with taxation taking place when the goods clear through customs.

acdha 2y ago

Weren’t things like that 25% steel and aluminum tariff added in response to Trump’s earlier tariffs, and allowed to lapse in 2020? https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/886/oj/eng https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2018/886/oj/eng https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2025/3/eu-to-impose-tariffs-on-us-goods-steel-aluminum-and-more-in-april-2025 https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2025/3/eu-to-impose-tariff...

District5524 2y ago

That's a bit misleading. Make no mistake, current US tariffs are UNIVERSAL. Not specific to e.g. chicken or automobiles or purebred horses. They cover absolutely everything. While you may see 38% or more tariff on chocolate, chocolate export to the EU from the US is hardly an important issue. And for dairy products, the tariff is a fixed euro amount per weight, not %. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_25_541 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_... https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/search?origin=US&destination=AT https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/search?origi...

nottorp 2y ago

I wasn't touching the first two categories anyway, tariffs or no tariffs. First one because I don't understand why i should risk a milk based product that has traveled for months across an ocean. Or even from another EU country, when I can buy stuff made in a 200 km radius around me. Second one because afaik it's legal to call "chocolate" something that does not contain any actual cocoa in the US.

technothrasher 2y ago
> Second one because afaik it's legal to call "chocolate" something that does not contain any actual cocoa in the US. Well, no. It cannot be called "chocolate" if it is something that consumers would expect to be made from actual chocolate. However, it can contain the term "chocolate" if cocoa or another cacao product is the sole source of its chocolate flavor, and as long as consumers have a pre-established understanding that it is likely to not be made from chocolate. For example, people generally understand that chocolate cake is likely made with cocoa, not chocolate, and so it can be labeled "chocolate cake". If there is no such general understanding, the product must be labeled "chocolate flavored". (See the US FDA CPG Sec 515.800, "Labeling of Products Purporting to be 'Chocolate' or 'Chocolate Flavored'") Now if we could just get them to stop calling chocolate products with dairy in them "dark" (I'm looking at you, Hershey...)
SJC_Hacker 2y ago
Cheese is the obvious one here. I can get a variety of foreign cheeses even at my local big-box grocery. Much better options than most domestically produced cheese. Irish/Finnish butter (Kerrygold/Finlandia) is also fairly popular here. If properly refrigerated, milk can last for months especially if pasteurized. You can also evaporate milk and it will last nearly forever unrefrigerated if kept dry
- nottorp 2y ago
  > If properly refrigerated, milk can last for months especially if pasteurized. But why take the risk when you can have fresh? > You can also evaporate milk and it will last nearly forever unrefrigerated if kept dry Is that still milk? Cheeses yes, I randomly buy fancy cheeses. But most of my purchases are still boring predictable recent local cheese.

cbeach 2y ago

[flagged]

dudefeliciano 2y ago
Please don't comment about the voting on comments. It never does any good, and it makes boring reading.

AnAfrican 2y ago

Careful: The rate mentioned for alcoholic beverages (and confectionery) may include Excise Duty. Excise Duty usually have the non-discriminatory aspect of VAT : they’re also applied on local production.

piokoch 2y ago

Interesting that people are downvoting heavily those information. If reality does not match our view of the World, well, let's ignore reality. The truth is that EU kept higher tariffs on US goods than the other way, Trump is changing that and there is an outcry, because it was Trump who did that. If that was Kamala, nobody would even notice.