U.S. import taxes to affect half of Dutch cheese

A package of import taxes ordered by the Trump Administration will affect the prices of half of all Dutch cheese exports to the U.S. Once the tariffs are in place, Americans can expect to pay 25 percent more when they purchase the cheeses.

Some 80 million euros of Dutch cheese was exported to the U.S. in 2018, and the import tax would have affect 39 million euros of those sales, according to Nu.nl. Though Gouda and Edam cheese are excluded from the tariff list, many other processed products including those cheeses, like pre-sliced or grated cheese, could be hit with the tax.

Roughly eight percent of all cheese imported by the United States comes from the Netherlands. Dutch cheese also accounts for 14 percent of all cheese sent from the EU to the States, according to the Dutch agriculture ministry.

Some 600 thousand euros worth of pork sausage will also be taxed at the higher rate, as well as salmon, coffee, cookies, waffles, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages.

More items could be added -or removed- from the list whenever the current U.S. administration finds it necessary.

The import tax package is meant to compensate for European Union support for aircraft manufacturer Airbus, support which the World Trade Organization said violated rules about state aid.