The same media outlet expresses that the exemption on cork is under negotiation, since the EU wants to protect the sectors that the US relies on for imports. This way, the cork will be one of the prioritised items to be exempt from the tariffs, as well as such pharmaceutical products, and even engineering and agricultural products.

The US is the third largest market for Portuguese cork in the world; this way, the exemption of the tariffs would relieve the Portuguese cork industry, which exports €1.4 billion every year, with 10% of the exports being sent to the United States of America.

The European Commission, quoted by Expresso, also states that products that are not produced by the US may be exempt from tariffs. For example, vaccines will be exempt from tariffs, but the same will not happen with medical equipment.

The same source indicated that vaccines will be excluded from tariffs, while medical equipment may not be.

Besides the possible favourable result of the negotiations, industry groups like APCOR (Portuguese Cork Association) want to wait for the final details before making any official statements on how the situation will be solved within the company.

For now, it is confirmed that lobster will be exempt from tariffs, due to an old trade deal between the EU and the US, signed in 2021.