Clyde (United States) (AFP)

One month after the entry into force of a new trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would reimpose tariffs of 10% on Canadian aluminum from August 16.

Furious, his historic ally immediately denounced an "unacceptable" measure and warned that he would "quickly" impose retaliatory measures of an equivalent value, as he had done two years earlier.

"I signed a proclamation defending the American industry by reimposing tariffs on aluminum in Canada. Canada was taking advantage of us, as usual," said the US president during an intervention at a factory Whirlpool washing machine manufacturing facility in Clyde, Ohio.

He had waived, in May 2019, previous customs duties on condition that Canada "does not flood our country with their exports and do not destroy all our jobs in the aluminum sector," he said. recalled.

But "Canadian aluminum producers have broken this commitment," said the tenant of the White House.

Hours later, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland strongly condemned a "unwarranted and unacceptable" decision.

"In a time of a global pandemic and economic crisis, the last thing Canadian and American workers need is the imposition of new tariffs that will increase costs for manufacturers and consumers and interfere with the free flow of trade and to the economies of provinces and states, "said Ms. Freeland, who renegotiated NAFTA on behalf of Canada.

"In response to US tariffs, Canada intends to rapidly impose countermeasures of equal value," concludes the Canadian government's N.2, without specifying the nature of these retaliatory measures.

"We will always defend our aluminum workers," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau immediately added on Twitter.

According to the text of the US presidential proclamation, Canadian aluminum imports between June 2019 and May 2020 increased by 87% compared to the previous twelve months.

This surge "threatens US aluminum production," the document says.

"I have determined that the measures agreed with Canada are not sufficiently effective to address the threat that aluminum imports from Canada pose to our national security," wrote the President.

"Canadian aluminum does not compromise the national security of the United States," Ms. Freeland replied. "Canadian aluminum has bolstered US national security for decades through unparalleled cooperation between our two countries."

The US Chamber of Commerce was quick to criticize Donald Trump's move, saying it would "increase costs for US manufacturers", that "most US aluminum producers" were against it and would " generate retaliatory measures against US exports. "

The same disapproval among Canadian economic players.

"Tariffs on aluminum made in Canada are Trump's + solution + to a problem that does not exist," blasted Jerry Dias, president of Unifor, Canada's largest private sector union, asking the Prime Minister Canadian to retaliate with "severe" measures.

The Aluminum Association of Canada contested the figures put forward by the White House, assuring that there was a "2.6% drop" in exports over the period in question.

In early July, Justin Trudeau raised rumors that Donald Trump could reimpose tariffs arguing that the United States did not have sufficient production capacity and therefore needed Canadian aluminum for its automotive industries and high-tech.

The re-imposition of these customs duties comes just a few weeks after the entry into force, in early July, of the new free trade agreement (USMCA) binding the United States, Canada and Mexico. The latter replaces the Aléna (North American free trade agreement) which dated from 1994 and was unanimously considered obsolete.

In June 2018, in the midst of renegotiating the NAFTA, Donald Trump did not hesitate to introduce punitive tariffs on Canadian aluminum. In the process, Ottawa announced taxes on American products (steel and aluminum, but also whiskey, ketchup, orange juice, sail and motor boats, lawn mowers ...).

© 2020 AFP