Counter-Tariff (Retaliatory Tariff)

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Last updated: 24 June 2026Published: 23 June 2026

Source: WTO (Antidumping- und Subventionsübereinkommen); US Department of Commerce „Foreign Retaliations Timeline"; Tax Foundation Tariff Tracker (China hält 10-%-Vergeltungszoll auf US-Sojabohnen, Juni 2026). Allgemeiner handelsrechtlicher Fachbegriff (retaliatory tariff). Stand: Juni 2026.

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Definition & Explanation

As of June 2026 — A counter-tariff (German: Gegenzoll) — also retaliatory tariff — is an import duty that a state levies in response to tariffs or trade restrictions imposed by another state. The aim is to build political pressure and strengthen one's own negotiating position by deliberately making the counterpart's exports more expensive. Counter-tariffs often target economically or politically symbolic goods in order to achieve maximum effect with calculable self-inflicted harm. In the conflict over the US tariffs, various trading partners responded with threatened or imposed counter-tariffs on US exports; for instance, China maintained a 10 percent retaliatory tariff on US soybeans as of June 2026. Unlike antidumping or countervailing duties, which are tied to proven unfair practices (dumping, subsidies) and are governed by WTO law, counter-tariffs are primarily politically motivated and can themselves trigger an escalation spiral (trade war). For importers and freight forwarders this means an increased risk of short-term tariff hikes on both sides of a trade lane.

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