US President Donald Trump is to press forward with tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from key trading partners including the EU, Canada and Mexico.

There had been a temporary exemption granted on the 25pc levy on steel and 10pc on aluminum for the EU and others.

The decision, announced by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, came hours before these temporary exemptions were due to elapse at 12:01am in Washington on Friday.

President Donald Trump “has decided in the case of Canada, Mexico and the European Union not to extend the exemptions and therefore they will be placed under the 25 percent tariff on steel and the 10 percent tariff on aluminum effective at midnight tonight,” Mr Ross said in a press briefing on Thursday.

Cecilia Malmstrom, EU trade commissioner, said that the bloc will impose counter measures and take any necessary measures to protect its market from the impact of these levies.

Previously the list of likely counter measures had included tariffs on politically sensitive US imports such bourbon whisky and Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

On Wednesday, US trade envoy Mr Ross said that the US and EU could still press ahead with a trade deal even with tariffs in place.

"There can be negotiations with or without tariffs in place. There are plenty of tariffs the EU has on us. It's not that we can't talk just because there's tariffs," Mr Ross said.