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US threatens tariffs on EU cheese, pork and whiskey

Irish whiskey is one of the targets on the US list of 89 additional proposed tariffs
Irish whiskey is one of the targets on the US list of 89 additional proposed tariffs

The US is threatening tariffs on $4bn worth of additional EU goods - including Irish whiskey - in a long-running dispute over aircraft subsidies. 

This is in addition to tariffs placed on European Union goods in April.

The list also includes sausages, hams, pasta, olives and cheeses, including parmesan-reggiano, provolone, edam and gouda.

"Today, the Office of the US Trade Representative is issuing for public comment a supplemental list of products that could potentially be subject to additional duties," it said in a statement.

The potential tariffs are due to "EU subsidies on large civil aircraft", the statement said.

"This supplemental list adds 89 tariff subheadings with an approximate trade value of $4bn to the initial list published on April 12, which included tariff subheadings with an approximate trade value of $21bn," it added.

For more than 14 years, the US and the EU have accused each other of unfairly subsidising aviation giants Boeing and Airbus, respectively, in a tit-for-tat dispute that long predates US President Donald Trump's time in office.

The Boeing-Airbus spat is the longest and most complicated dispute dealt with by the World Trade Organization, which aims to create a level playing field in global trade.

Mr Trump has made taking aim at what he views as unfair trade practices that disadvantage the US a key goal of his presidency, and tariffs are his favoured tool for doing so.