Trump suspended new tariffs on imports from Canada, but set conditions
19 August 18:12
The United States is suspending the imposition of new 50 percent tariffs on imports from Canada after the two countries reached a trade agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump said, according to "Komersant Ukrainian", citing DW.
“I have suspended the 50 percent tariffs against Canada, which were set to take effect on August 19, for three days,” he said.
According to him, the U.S. and Canada have agreed to resume the Keystone XL oil pipeline project, which was intended to transport oil from Canada to the U.S. The project had been canceled under Trump’s predecessor and political opponent, Joe Biden. The decision to suspend the tariffs will take effect once the necessary paperwork is finalized, the White House chief added.
For his part, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that over the past few weeks he had been engaged in intensive negotiations with Trump, seeking to prevent the imposition of tariffs and ensure “greater certainty and real benefits for Canadian businesses, workers, farmers, and families.”
“Significant progress has been made, although there is still much important work to be done,” he emphasized in a statement.
The tariffs against Canada were set to take effect on August 19
Donald Trump signed executive orders imposing additional tariffs on a wide range of Canadian goods on July 20. He cited “discriminatory treatment” by Canadian authorities toward American alcoholic beverages, automobiles, and dairy products.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
“Under each executive order issued pursuant to Section 338 of the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930, a 50 percent tariff is imposed on various categories of Canadian imports, ranging from wine to hockey sticks and cement,” the text published on the White House website states.
The new U.S. tariffs were set to take effect on August 19. They did not apply to energy products, potash products, or goods already subject to sector-specific tariffs. However, the tariffs were supposed to affect goods covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Through these measures, Trump aims to improve export conditions for U.S. automobiles.
Canada Insists on Resolving Disputes
Mark Carney responded by stating that Ottawa is ready to “intensify” negotiations with Washington and has put forward proposals to resolve disputes and modernize the USMCA. Although Trump has imposed tariffs on Washington’s trading partners since returning to the presidency, these executive orders have often not applied to goods imported under the USMCA.
Due to U.S. tariffs on key Canadian imports, Mark Carney is pushing for greater trade independence from the neighboring country. Furthermore, in January, he criticized his southern neighbor’s trade and foreign policies, declaring the collapse of the rules-based world order and calling on other countries to unite to counter this course.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
