European Union (EU) drinks importers are girding themselves for the imposition of heavy duties on a range of United States fruit juice exports, after the World Trade Organisation authorised EU retaliation to American protection of its steel industry, erected in breach of global trade laws.

Unless the US government scraps these protective safeguard duties, the EU retaliatory tariffs will be imposed from December 15 at the latest. Fruit juice products that would attract 15% duties include frozen orange juice; unfrozen orange juice (of a Brix value not exceeding 20); and grapefruit juice.