European Union to renew trade sanctions against US

摘要

The European Union is about to renew certain trade sanctions against the United States, apparently beginning in the middle of May, by imposing a 14 percent tariff against certain products. These sanctions were first applied two years ago, lasted several months, and were then suspended by the EU while the U.S. Congress sought to resolve the underlying dispute. I will not describe that underlying dispute, which is unrelated to our industry. The EU had been granted authority by the World Trade Organization to retaliate against the United States by imposing added tariffs against any products exported from the United States to the EU member countries. The EU is again exercising that authority, under the impression that the Congress will not conform its law to the WTO decision. That impression is apparently correct. I participated recently in a meeting of an Industry Sector Advisory Committee in Washington, and was told that there is little or no likelihood of action by Congress that will delay or defer the new imposition of sanctions.