The European Union (EU) has suspended 14% retaliatory duties on a wide range of American food products after Congress abolished foreign sales corporations giving illegal tax breaks to US exporters.
EU ministers have suspended these duties until next January, while a World Trade Organisation (WTO) disputes panel examines whether successor legislation, the American Jobs Creation Act, complies with global trade rules.
These duties will be scrapped permanently if the WTO approves the new US law, but the 14% duties will be reimposed if it does not. Products covered include meat, dairy, vegetables, fruits, nuts, confectionery, cereals and others.