Washington announces additional duties on French and German products

Aeronautical spare parts, non-sparkling wine and French and German cognac will be added to the list of products from 2019 onwards, according to a press release by the US Trade Representative (USTR).

These customs duties are part of a dispute over public assistance given to Airbus and Boeing.

In fact, the European Union was also authorized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to impose additional customs duties on US products this year. But Washington believes it has been punished by the method of calculation chosen, which according to the Trump administration, has imposed a very high amount of customs duty on American products.

In question, the reference period on the one hand, the geographical region on the other.

Hence, “To implement its tariffs, the European Union used trade data from a period in which Kovid-19’s trade volume was drastically reduced due to the terrible impact on the global economy”, Condemns the USTR.

“The result of this choice was that Europe imposed tariffs on many more products, which would have been covered if using the normal term. Although the United States explained to the European Union. ‘The perverse effects of the selected period, the European Union gave its Refused to change outlook “, Underlines the press release.

America has announced this “Change their reference period to align with those used by the European Union”.

Also, Washington, “The European Union made another choice that incorrectly increased the amount” Excludes the United Kingdom from its calculation of customs duties, and considers that “EU must take action to compensate for this injustice”.

Since 2019, the United States has imposed punitive fees on European imports such as wine, cheese and olive oil or Scotch whiskey, as well as a 15% tax on Airbus aircraft. Washington was authorized by the WTO for $ 7.5 billion.

In retaliation, the European Union has implemented additional tariffs this year on $ 4 billion in imports from the United States.

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and its US competitor Boeing, and through them the European Union and the United States, have been colliding since October 2004 before the WTO over public assistance paid to the two groups deemed illegitimate. ‘other.