EU Considers Tariffs on US Resin and Plastic Products Amid Trade Tensions

Trade war EU considers tariffs on plastics in response to new U.S. metal duties

2025-03-24 Source: Plastics 1 min Reading Time

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As transatlantic trade tensions escalate, the EU considers tariffs on over 60 resin and plastic products in response to new U.S. steel and aluminium duties. Stakeholders now have a brief window to weigh in on measures that could shift billions in trade balance.

The European Commission has identified 1,708 products for possible countermeasures, including 60 resin and plastic products.(Source: free licensed / Pixabay) — The European Commission has identified 1,708 products for possible countermeasures, including 60 resin and plastic products.
(Source: free licensed / Pixabay)

In response to the 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminium imposed by the U.S. on March 12, 2025, the European Union has proposed countermeasures that include resin and plastic products. As part of this process, the European Commission has launched an information-gathering notice under Regulation (EU) No. 354/2014 regarding the new U.S. tariffs and potential EU rebalancing measures. The notice, which opened on March 12, 2025, allows stakeholders to submit input until March 26, 2025. The Commission invites all those affected by the U.S. tariffs and the potential EU response to participate.

The European Commission has identified 1,708 products for possible countermeasures, including 60 resin and plastic products at the 8-digit EU Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) level. When matched to the corresponding 6-digit U.S. HTS codes, the proposed EU tariffs are estimated to impact 5.9 billion dollars in U.S. plastics resin and product exports to the EU, based on 2024 export values.

Based on the 4.3 billion dollars in U.S. imports of the selected resin and plastic products from the EU in 2024, the European Commission’s proposed countermeasures put a potential 1.6 billion dollars U.S. trade surplus from 2024 at risk in 2025. While the European Commission has not included plastic equipment and moulds in its proposed countermeasures, U.S. plastics equipment and mould makers that use steel and aluminium imported from the EU are already affected by the U.S. tariffs.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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