Most chemicals exported from the 27 member countries of the European Union into the US will be subject to a 15% tariff on top of their selling prices under an agreement signed on July 27 between the US and the European Commission.
The tariffs, which will rise from about 1% on average, will come into effect on Aug. 1. Most other industrial sectors in the EU, including the auto industry, also face a 15% tariff. The increase comes as a blow to the European chemical industry, which is already struggling with high production costs and soft local market conditions.
Some specialty chemicals for high-tech applications, including those for making semiconductors, will be exempt from the tariff, as will be some generic drugs, agricultural products, natural resources, and critical raw materials, the EC says. Most drugs and drug active ingredients, though, will be subject to the 15% tariff. Details about the specialty chemicals that are exempt have yet to emerge.
The new tariff regime is likely to have a significant impact on the EU chemical industry. The US is the sector’s biggest export market, accounting in 2023 for about $42 billion of its total sales of $723 billion, according to the latest data from the European Chemical Industry Council, Europe’s biggest chemical trade association.
For more details, please visit:
https://cen.acs.org/policy/trade/European-chemical-industry-laments-15/103/web/2025/07?utm_source=chatgpt.com
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