Trade Cases

Leibowitz on Trade: The War is On!

June 5, 2018

Lewis Leibowitz, trade attorney and contributor to Steel Market Update, offers the following update on trade events in Washington:

Canada, Mexico and the nations in the European Union threatened to retaliate against Trump administration tariffs they consider grossly unfair and, true to their word, have announced tariffs of their own on a host of exports from the U.S.

Retaliation lists have been released by Canada, the EU and Mexico.

Following is the long list of items exported from the United States to any EU country that will be subject to 25 percent tariffs effective June 20. They include steel and aluminum, plus numerous other consumer goods from the following Chapters of the Harmonized Tariff Schedules:

• Edible Vegetables (Chapter 7)
• Cereals (Chapter 10)
• Preparations of Cereal, Starch, Milk (Chapter 19)
• Preparations of Vegetables (Chapter 20)
• Beverages, Spirits, Vinegar (Chapter 22)
• Tobacco (Chapter 24)
• Essential Oils, Perfumes (Chapter 33)
• Knitted Apparel (Chapter 61)
• Woven Apparel (Chapter 62)
• Steel and Articles of Steel (Chapter 72, 73)
• Aluminum (Chapter 76)
• Motor Vehicles and Parts (Chapter 87)
• Ships and Boats (Chapter 89)
• Toys (Chapter 95)

Canadian officials have placed 25 percent tariffs on U.S. exports of steel and articles of steel (Chapters 72, 73), effective July 1. A host of other products will be hit with a 10 percent tariff on the same day, including:

• Dairy Produce (Chapter 4)
• Preparations of Meat, Fish, Crustaceans (Chapter 16)
• Sugars and Sugar Confectionery (Chapter 17)
• Cocoa and Chocolate (Chapter 18)
• Preparations of Cereal, Starch, Milk (Chapter 19)
• Preparations of Vegetables (Chapter 20)
• Miscellaneous Edible Preparations (Chapter 21)
• Beverages, Spirits, Vinegar (Chapter 22)
• Essential Oils, Perfumes (Chapter 33)
• Soaps (Chapter 34)
• Albuminoidal substances (Chapter 35)
• Misc. Chemical Products (Chapter 38)
• Plastics (Chapter 39)
• Wood (Chapter 44)
• Paper Products (Chapter 48)
• Printed Books, Newspapers (Chapter 49)
• Certain Articles of Steel (Chapter 73) (beer kegs)
• Aluminum and Articles of Aluminum (Chapter 76)
• Electrical, Mechanical Appliances (Chapter 84)
• Electrical Equipment (Chapter 85)
• Ships and Boats (Chapter 89)
• Optical, Medical Instruments (Chapter 90)
• Furniture, Bedding (Chapter 94)
• Toys (Chapter 95)
• Misc. Manufactured Articles (Chapter 96) (pens)

Mexico’s list released on Tuesday places tariffs of 15 percent to 25 percent on various products:

• Flat steel (hot and cold foil, including coated and various tubes)
• Lamps
• Pork legs and shoulders
• Sausages and other prepared food
• Apples
• Grapes
• Blueberries
• Various cheeses

More retaliation announcements are forthcoming.

Lewis Leibowitz

The Law Office of Lewis E. Leibowitz
1400 16th Street, N.W.
Suite 350
Washington, D.C. 20036

Phone:(202) 776-1142
Fax:(202) 861-2924
Cell:(202) 250-1551

www.lellawoffice.com