The commercial war is served. The president of the United States, Donald Trump, puts the tariffs and their main commercial partners, in a defensive reaction, already announce the countermeasures.
What Donald Trump called the “Day of Liberation”, other countries and analysts see in the decision to impose tariffs as a brake on global trade and, therefore, the first step to a recession. Even the Democrats in the EU Congress demonstrated against: “It is not the day of liberation, it is that of the recession.”
What did Donald Trump announce, what is the reason and when do they enter into force? Mainly a 10% universal tariff for all imports from the United States, in addition to another of 20% for all imports from the European Union (EU)
And an additional specific tariff for each country, according to the scale that the US administration calculated taking into account the “historical damage” in its commercial relations. This is what Trump has considered as “reciprocal tariff”, in response to the alleged taxes on US products in other countries to which the US trade deficit faults, something that deny the EU and other affected nations.
The 10% general minimum tariff will enter into force on Saturday, April 5, while the additional part that affects each nation will begin to be applied on day 9.
The United States commercial deficit in goods and services increased by 2024 by 17%to 918.4 billion dollars with an increase in exports of 3.9%, to 3.2 billion dollars, and from imports of 6.6%, up to 4.1 billion, a negative balance that is the second highest in history. Donald Trump has always wanted to balance the balance with his main partners.
25% tariffs for cars, light trucks and auto parts imported by the United States entered into force this Thursday.
Read more: EU Aviva Commercial War with reciprocal tariffs while China and Europe prepare
Main countries affected by new reciprocal tariffs
Tariffs mainly affect Europe and Asia, with a 20% charge to the EU, from 24% to Japan, from 26% to India, from 17% to Israel and 10% to most Latin American nations, such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and Costa Rica.
In the case of China, the tariff adds to an earlier one of 20%, so its levies will amount to 54%.
Taiwan, a vital partner in semiconductors, will suffer an increase of 32%; South Korea, a powerful automotive or electronic exporter, 25% and Vietnam, an important commercial partner of China and EU, 46%.
Very high taxes to imports fall in developing countries such as Cambodia (49%), Madagascar (47%), Burma (45%) and Botsuana (38%).
Canada and Mexico, which have a Free Trade Agreement with the US, avoided the new wave of tariffs; However, those of 25% that Trump imposed on steel and aluminum of these countries are maintained.
The president of the United States today excluded Russia, Cuba, North Korea and Belarus of its global tariffs round because they already weigh severe economic sanctions, the White House argued. A senior official of the Trump administration said that the aforementioned nations “already face extremely high tariffs” that “prevent any significant trade with these countries.”
Some sectors and products have been exempt from tariffs such as copper (which benefits Chile), pharmaceutical products (with great joy of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, which is considered the pharmacy of the world), to semiconductors (which benefits Taiwan) and wood, as well as aluminum goods and vehicles and parts already subjected to customs taxes.
Other unburgated products will be the energy and mineral resources that are not present in the United States.
And now is the time of the countermeasures
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said she is “prepared to respond” to the imposition of tariffs, although she added that it is never too late to negotiate.
The French government said that Europe is ready for “this commercial war” and that it will take measures against US digital giants. The French employer indicated that European exports of wines and spirits to the United States could fall by 1.6 billion euros a year due to tariffs.
China expressed its “firm opposition” to reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump, and promised reprisals to “safeguard” their rights and interests.
Latin American countries have reacted cautiously in general, although the government of the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said he evaluates responding with “reciprocity” to Washington’s measures and anticipated that he will file an appeal before the World Trade Organization (WTO).
With EFE information
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