Help Fight 100% Tariff on European Imports by Jan. 13
Last October the United States imposed a series of tariffs between 10-25% on certain European imports. The United States is now proposing a tariff of up to 100% on European imported goods including wines, cheese and dairy products, agricultural food products, textiles and fashion items, building materials, tools, cutlery, ceramics, glassware, camera and photo equipment, etc.. If the tariff is imposed, the price of many consumer goods from Europe would increase dramatically.
Hundreds of business in the United States (importers, distributors, restaurants, and retailers) would be financially devastated, thousands of American jobs would be threatened, and Americans would find their consumer choices restricted.
The tariff is intended as retaliation in a trade dispute, but it will fail to achieve its goal in at least four ways: (1) The trade dispute involves airplane manufacturing, not agriculture and consumer goods. There is thus a disconnection between the means and the end. (2) The tariff is meant to punish Europeans, but it would harm major industry in the USA and curtail consumer choice in this country. (3) European policymakers would probably retaliate with their own tariffs against US goods, further damaging businesses here, as the US Chamber of Commerce pointed out in its comment on a similar US proposal. (4) The tariff would have little effect on European manufacturers because they would readily find markets elsewhere, especially in Asia.
This article provides a wine importer’s perspective on the proposal.
Items that have already had tariffs imposed are:
10% tariff on new airlines & aircraft.
25% on European dairy products (and cheese in particular), fruit and fruit products, pork products, and shellfish.
25% on German, UK, and Spanish pork goods, whey, olives, and olive oil.
25% on German coffee, metal metal tools, metalworking machinery, microwaves & instant water heaters, and photographic lenses and camera equipment.
25% on German and UK biscuits and cookies, books, prints, photos, lithographs, and electric hand tools.
25% on German, Irish, Italian, Spanish, and UK liquors and cordials.
25% on French, German, Spanish, or UK wine, not over 14% alcohol, in containers not over 2 liters.
15% tariff on UK single-malt Irish and Scotch Whiskies, sweaters & wool products, women's and girls' outerwear, sleepwear & swimsuits, men's and boys' suits, and blankets & bed linens.
The new proposed 100% tariffs would be applied on top of the tariffs above. Additionally, with this tariff proposal the items from the list above and the following items would be tariffed on, more or less, all of the countries in the EU:
non-military helicopters, passenger, and cargo aircraft and aircraft parts
fish and crustaceans
pasta
waters & nonalcoholic beer
sparkling wine, Tokay wine, and wines over 14% vol. alcohol, Brandy, Scotch, and Whiskies
essential oils
leather handbags
paper products
cotton & synthetic yarn and textiles
carpets, rugs, and tapestries
building and construction materials
ceramics, earthenware, stemware, and glassware
wooden tools & handles
silverware and fine cutlery and knives
jewelry
motorcycles & bicycles
wall clocks
artists brushes
Your consumer choices in other areas and even your own livelihood may be affected because many other European goods besides wine would be subject to the tariff. They are listed in annexes 1 and 2 of the proposal.