Spain pushes to expand aid plan for industries hit by U.S. tariffs

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said on Monday he would push the European Union to approve aid for industries hit by US tariffs at a meeting of EU finance ministers to be held that day.

Spain on Thursday was one of the few major economies to offer up a concrete solution to help weather the impact of new U.S. tariffs, offering its companies a financial package of loans and direct aid worth 14.1 billion euros ($15.54 billion).

European Union countries will seek to present a united front against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs, likely approving a first set of targeted countermeasures on up to $28 billion of U.S. imports.

The 27-nation bloc faces 25% import tariffs on steel and aluminium and cars and "reciprocal" tariffs of 20% from Wednesday for almost all other goods.

Cuerpo also said the EU ministers will discuss a list of products to be submitted to retaliatory tariffs in response to the ones on steel, aluminium and cars.

($1 = 0.9073 euros)

(Reporting by Inti Landauro. Writing by Emma Pinedo)