EU Set To Impose Tariffs On Boeing Imports

ATHENS and WASHINGTON—The European Commission plans to impose tariffs on Boeing imports into the European Union (EU), should the trade dispute with the U.S. not be settled.

Brussels published a list of U.S. goods on May 8 that would be subject to import tariffs, covering aerospace as well as the automotive and agriculture sectors.

Boeing counts 1,144 unfilled orders for European customers in a list, which includes countries outside the EU, such as Turkey, and lessors, most of which are based in and around Dublin. 

Several EU airlines have placed large orders for Boeing aircraft, most notably Ryanair, which has 184 737 MAXs yet to be delivered. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary wrote in a letter to U.S. lawmakers that he would consider cancelling the order should the aircraft be subject to tariffs. 

Lufthansa Group also expects delivery of 101 aircraft, among them 777-9s, 787-9s and 737 MAXs. Fifteen 787-9s are parked at Boeing's facility in Charleston, South Carolina, awaiting handover to the German airline with some cabin elements pending FAA certification.

International Airlines Group (IAG) and Norwegian each have orders for 50 737 MAXs.

Aircraft imports to the U.S. are currently subject to 10% tariffs as part of President Donald Trump’s across-the-board introduction of levies. Before temporarily reducing them, he had proposed 20% for most goods and 25% for aluminum, steel and cars.

While Boeing customers in EU countries would presumably be responsible for paying the tariffs should they still take delivery of them, Airbus is supporting the EU position. “Europe is in negotiations, and if these negotiations do not lead to a positive outcome, I imagine that—and this is what we hope for—reciprocal tariffs on aircraft will be imposed,” Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury was quoted as saying in a Bloomberg report.

Boeing's expected deliveries to EU airline operators for the remainder of 2025 totaled 58 aircraft, TD Cowen analysts said in a May 7 report to investor clients.

Boeing's official backlog to European airlines represents 18% of Boeing's large commercial aircraft backlog, although only 720 aircraft are to customers based in EU member states, or 11.4%. Still, the analysts caution the official numbers may understate Boeing's actual exposure as 762 aircraft on order are destined to “unidentified” customers.

“Boeing may need to backfill about 50 aircraft destined to Chinese airlines this year, and the EU tariff dynamic may add to this total, depending on the severity of the EU tariffs should they occur,” the TD Cowen analysts said.