Trade War Alert

U.S. proposes countermeasure tariffs on EU goods

Toronto, April 10, 2019

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed $11 billion in tariffs against the European Union in an announcement made April 8, 2019.  The tariffs are in response to the EU's Airbus subsidies which have been deemed to be unfair to the United States by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The USTR released for public comment a preliminary list of EU products to be covered by additional duties.  The amount is subject to an arbitration at the WTO, the result of which is expected to be issued this summer.

This preliminary list of goods, covering a wide range of items from seafood to jets, has been issued for public consultation.  For example, the following are being considered for additional tariffs if they come from any of the 28 EU states.

• Salmon fillets, fresh or chilled
• Cheese, including Cheddar, Roquefort, Stilton, Gruyere and Pecorino
• Lemons fresh or dried
• Virgin olive oil
• Marsala wine
• Cashmere sweaters, pullovers and similar
• Ceramic household steins with pewter lids
• Motorcycles with an engine size of between 500cc and 700cc
• Wall clocks, not electrically operated, designed to operate over 47 hours without rewinding

Also, additional import duties are being considered on some goods if they are produced in France, Germany, Spain or the UK.  They include:

• Helicopters
• Undercarriages for use in new civil aircraft
• Fuselages for use in new civil airplanes

For more information, please call Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs at (905) 882-4880, ext. 213.