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HomeStudy on the repercussions of US agri-food tariffs on EU regions
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The EU agri‑food sector is facing one of the most challenging periods in its recent history. Geopolitical tensions, rising production costs for energy, fertilisers, feed and logistics are already squeezing farm incomes, while competitive pressure from cheaper imports is intensifying. Against this backdrop, US agri‑food tariffs add further strain, particularly in highly specialised and export‑dependent systems. At the same time, EU trade agreements are at the centre of growing political tension: while they may offer opportunities to diversify export markets and reduce dependence on single partners, many agricultural communities remain deeply sceptical of their impact. The US is a key trade partner for the EU and the second‑largest market for EU agri‑food exports. From August 2025, a new US tariff sets a general ceiling of 15% on most EU products. This is a major change, as most EU agri‑food exports previously faced much lower tariffs. Although agri‑food represents a small share of total EU exports to the US, these exports are highly concentrated in a few countries, mainly Italy, France, Spain, Netherlands and Germany. They also focus on high‑value products such as wine, olive oil, horticulture and cocoa products, which are often produced in specific regions. As a result, the impact of tariffs can be much stronger in specialised regions than EU‑wide averages suggest. The study examines the repercussions of new US tariffs on agri-food exports from the EU, focusing on the economic and territorial impacts on various EU regions and sectors. It evaluates the tariff changes, their effects on trade flows, prices, and regional vulnerabilities, and proposes mitigation strategies and policy recommendations to support the most affected regions and stakeholders.
- Published:
- Corporate author(s): Commission for Natural Resources (European Committee of the Regions)
- Themes: Agricultural policy
- Subject: agri-foodstuffs , agricultural economics , agricultural production , agricultural situation , economic consequence , EU Member State , EU regional policy , farmer , tariff policy , United States
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| ISSN | ISBN 978-92-895-4030-8 | DOI 10.2863/3148761 | Catalogue number QG-01-26-015-EN-N |
- Released on EU publications website:
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