U.S. Imposes 100% Duties on Some EU Products

The U.S. government imposed 100% duties on imports of handbags, batteries and other European Union products Friday, three days after the World Trade Organization ruled that the EU unfairly restricted banana sales by U.S. companies.

The duties, retroactive to March 3, will cover nine categories of products on trade worth $191.4 million a year, the amount the WTO said U.S. companies such as Chiquita Brands International Inc. and Dole Food Co. lose annually because of EU restrictions. The U.S. had sought penalties of more than $500 million.

The targeted list of EU products will be published next week in the Federal Register. It includes electric coffee and tea makers, bed linens, folding cartons and some lead-acid storage batteries.

Missing from the list are cashmere sweaters, pecorino cheese, candles, sweet biscuits and other luxury imports the U.S. had initially sought to penalize.

“We are studying the list closely to see that the amount corresponds with the arbitrator’s ruling,” said Ella Krucoff, a spokeswoman for the EU in Washington.

The EU objects to U.S. plans to start collecting the duties before the WTO formally confirms that the targeted products represent the correct amount of trade. The WTO is expected to decide on that later this month.

The EU also opposes any retroactive penalties.