Airbus: the United States continues its surcharges on European products

The dispute between the European Union and the United States continues, while Airbus announces that it has brought itself into conformity with the WTO (illustrative image). REUTERS / Stephane Mahe

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Bruno Le Maire takes note of the United States' decision to refrain from imposing new customs duties in the context of the dispute between Airbus and Boeing. But the French Minister of the Economy does not rule out a European response if the sanctions persist.

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Few changes have taken place in US trade sanctions as Europeans hoped for appeasement. The United States maintains its surtaxes on a total of 7.5 billion imports . This is the amount that was authorized in 2019 by the World Trade Organization. The heaviest sanction ever imposed by the WTO in the context of a long-standing dispute over public aid granted to Airbus.

The United States will tax more French and German products

Taxes remain at 15% for planes and 25% for other products, especially for French wines.

Since the start of the application of these American measures, French exports to the American market have fallen by 35%, which is considerable.

French wine exporters deplore the maintenance of US tariffs

Altin Lazaj

What changes in part is the list of affected goods from September 1, some Greek and British products will be removed, but not Scotch whiskey. Washington will compensate by overtaxing French and German products for an equivalent amount. A virtual status quo which, if it drags on, could therefore lead Europeans to respond according to the French Minister of the Economy.

Last month Airbus announced that it had brought itself into compliance with WTO rules. The European Union then considered that this should lead the United States to immediately lift its reprisals.

►Also read: Trade war with Boeing: Airbus and the European Union between appeasement and threat

But now, Washington was not convinced. The European Commission does not wish to exacerbate the dispute for the moment. But in September or October, the WTO is expected to decide whether to allow the European Union to impose tariffs as well in response to subsidies this time paid by the United States to Boeing.

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  • European Union
  • United States
  • Aeronautics
  • Economy

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