Status: 10/30/2021 9:37 p.m.
The US and the EU have come to an agreement in a dispute over special tariffs on steel and aluminum from the era of ex-President Trump. Certain quantities can therefore be imported back into the USA duty-free.
The USA is removing the special tariffs of 25 percent and ten percent respectively for a fixed quota of steel and aluminum imports from Europe. In return, the Europeans are dropping additional tariffs on US products such as Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, announced the breakthrough on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Rome.
The import is also to be linked to the CO2 emissions in steel production. Since Europeans and Americans are convinced that they can produce more cleanly, Chinese goods are still excluded from importing into the USA. The framework for the limit values has apparently yet to be created.
How is China reacting?
The agreement helps the states of the transatlantic community. It takes the confrontation with China to new heights. In his video message to the G20 summit yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against the formation of a block: Small artificial circles or even ideological lines would only create hurdles and increase obstacles.
On the second day of the summit in Rome, it remains to be seen whether the representatives of the People’s Republic will also react directly to the agreement between the Europeans and the USA.
Alleged threat to national security
The elected US President Trump had expanded existing punitive tariffs in June 2018 on the grounds that the volume of imports endangered the national security of the United States. Australia, South Korea, Canada and Mexico were later exempted from spending.
The USA and Europe agree on the steel dispute
Thorsten Teichmann, ARD Washington, currently Rome, October 30, 2021 9:14 pm