UPDATE 1-EU drafting retaliatory tariff list hitting Caterpillar, Xerox, Samsonite -Bloomberg

The European Union is drafting a list of retaliatory tariffs that would target Caterpillar Inc, Xerox Corp and Samsonite International if U.S. President Donald Trump imposes duties on European cars, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing an unnamed senior EU official.

Trump, who is known to have a strong protectionist bent on trade, has said the United States would impose tariffs on European car imports if it is unable to reach a trade deal with the European Union. He threatened tariffs on European car imports just days after European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Trump promised he would not impose tariffs on European cars for the time being.

However, a confidential report by the U.S. Commerce Department sent to Trump last weekend was expected to pave the way for the U.S. president to impose duties of up to 25 percent on imported autos and auto parts by designating them as a threat to American national security. Xerox, Caterpillar and Samsonite did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Makini Brice; Additional reporting by Supantha Mukherjee and Rachit Vats in Bangalore Editing by Susan Heavey and Steve Orlofsky)