EDA condemns US administration’s sweeping tariffs on EU goods
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The US administration unveiled a broad package of new ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on a wide range of European Union goods. Among the sectors hit is dairy.
“This move is unjustified,” said Alexander Anton, secretary general of EDA. “EU dairy exports – most notably cheese – account for less than 2% of total US domestic consumption. These cheeses serve a very unique market segment in the US, offering choice and excellence to the US consumers, and therefore do not compete directly with American dairy products.
The newly announced tariffs come as part of the White House’s escalating trade actions, reportedly in response to perceived trade imbalances and the desire to implement “reciprocal tariffs” that match those imposed by other countries on US products.
“Not only have the US and the EU the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship and the most integrated economic relationship in the world, but the overall (goods & services) US-EU trade balance is basically in an equilibrium – this is an ideal basis for a prosperous trade relationship. A trade dispute between the US and the EU therefore is clearly in the lose-lose category,” comments Anton.
EDA warns that the US decision risks not only harming EU exporters but also limiting American consumers’ access to the high-quality dairy products they value and trust. With premium European cheeses, creams, and speciality products appreciated by US buyers, the tariffs could significantly restrict choice and drive-up prices in the American market.
Anton stressed further that the timing could not be worse. He said, “Our sector is already under enormous pressure from China’s anti-subsidy investigation and ongoing global market challenges. Now, US tariffs risk compounding that crisis. This is a blow to rural economies across Europe, and to the spirit of fair and rules-based trade.”
EDA urges the European Commission to respond strategically and shield EU dairy from further fallout. Anton concluded, “Trade policy must be smart, not punitive. Dairy is not the problem here using it as a pawn only creates new problems on both sides of the Atlantic.”
