2025.11.04

New US tariffs hit European appliance and electronics industry hard

The US has imposed new tariffs of up to 50% on products containing steel and aluminum, which now also includes white goods and consumer electronics such as washing machines, refrigerators and ovens.

This is part of the US government's "national security strategy", but in practice it means major cost increases for European exporters and the risk of reduced sales in the US market.

Impacts for European companies

• The US market has been a growth area for European producers – exports increased by 23 % between 2018 and 2023.
• The new tariffs now threaten this development.
• According to economists, the tariffs will lead to:
  • Higher prices for American consumers
  • Lower profits and sales for European producers
  • Weakened dollar, further reducing US imports

Previous experience shows similar results: when the US imposed tariffs on washing machines in 2018, imports decreased by 33 % in the first year itself.

EU and APPLiA's response

The industry association APPLiA Europe is working with EU decision-makers to influence negotiations with the US. Their goal is to:

• Limit the tariff to a fixed ceiling of 15 %, regardless of metal content.
• Provide the EU with data and information to strengthen the industry's position.
• Ensure stable export conditions for European companies.

US tariffs risk severely slowing European exports of white goods and electronics. The EU and APPLiA are now trying to negotiate lower and more predictable tariff levels to protect the industry.

The Swedish electronics tax has doubled since its introduction in 2017 and is currently one of the most criticized instruments in the industry. The tax, which is levied based on the weight of the product rather than chemical content, drives up the prices of white goods and home electronics without providing measurable environmental benefits. APPLiA believes that the tax distorts competition, makes recycling more difficult and should be replaced with EU-harmonized solutions that actually contribute to a non-toxic environment.