EU publishes list of US chemical and polymer products facing tariffs; ethane and PE excluded

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on a proposed list of US imports valued at €95 billion that could face retaliatory EU tariffs if ongoing negotiations with Washington do not yield results. The draft list includes homo PP, PPBC, and selected products made from PVC, PET, PS, and ABS, but excludes the most essential products for Europe.

The European Commission has opened a public consultation on a proposed list of US imports worth €95 billion that could face retaliatory EU tariffs if ongoing negotiations with Washington fail to lift what Brussels calls "unjustified and harmful" US trade barriers.

The European Commission is also seeking feedback on potential restrictions on exports of steel scrap and chemical products to the US, valued at €4.4 billion. The four-week consultation period, which runs until 10 June, invites stakeholders to comment on the potential impacts of both the US tariffs and the proposed EU response. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the bloc’s preference for dialogue but reiterated that the EU must be ready for all outcomes.

List of chemical products in tariff talks

The full list of products originating in or from the United States which could be subject to possible commercial policy measures by the EU is here.

Monomers

Ethylene, propylene, butylene, and butadiene (liquefied), excluding ethylene with a purity of ≥ 95%, propylene, butylene, and butadiene with a purity of ≥ 90% (HS code: 27111400)

Polypropylene:

Polypropylene homopolymer (HS code: 39021000)

Polypropylene copolymers (HS code: 39023000)

Other polymers:

Selected polystyrene (PS) products (HS code: 39031900 and others)

Selected polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products (HS code: 39041000 and others)

Selected acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) products (HS code: 39033000 and others)

Selected polyethylene terephthalate (PET) products (HS code: 39076100 and others)

Possible exemptions are confirmed

Confirming earlier speculations, the official list the EU considers applying retaliatory tariffs does not include key chemicals and petrochemicals for the European market given the region’s dependence on US imports for certain products. Local supply does not meet demand for these essential products on top of an increasingly competitive environment, where European petrochemical producers have already been bucking under squeezed or even negative margins.

Ethane, LPG

Ethane and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), classified under HS codes 2711190010 and 2711190001, respectively, were not included in the tariff list. Their absence suggests these products are likely excluded from the scope of the listed measures. Although the US is not the top ethane supplier of the European Union, it provides a competitive advantage to several key producers.

PE

In April, there was speculation that the EU intended to exclude most US imports of LLDPE and mLLDPE from its final list of retaliatory tariffs. These products, classified under HS codes 39014000 and 39011010, were notably absent from the latest consultation list, confirming their exemption.

What is more, LDPE under HS codes 390110 and HDPE under HS code 390120 are not also listed, which means not only LLDPE and mLLPE, but also LDPE and HDPE are also excluded from possible tariffs.

According to ChemOrbis Stats Wizard, US PE represents 36% of EU’s overall PE imports with mLLDPE being dependent on the US by more than 60% as of 2024.