The European Union is likely to take retaliatory measures in response to new U.S. tariffs on European goods, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told.

"The European Union now will have to react and, after obtaining the approval of the World Trade Organisation, probably impose punitive tariffs as well," Maas, a member of Germany's co-governing Social Democrats, told the Funke newspaper group.

"Europe is united on this question. We remain ready to negotiate common rules for subsidies in the aviation industry. We can still prevent further damage." Maas added.

The WTO this week ruled that some subsidies EU states paid to planemaker Airbus were illegal, giving the United States the right to react with tariffs on goods imported from the EU.