Trump Continues to Weigh EU Auto Tariffs
February 20 2019 - 3:41PM
Dow Jones News
By Vivian Salama
WASHINGTON -- President Trump said Wednesday that he would
impose auto tariffs on the European Union if a trade deal can't be
reached between the two sides.
"We're trying to make a deal, they're very tough to make a deal
with," Mr. Trump said, sitting alongside Austria's Chancellor
Sebastian Kurz, who was in Washington for bilateral meetings with
the Trump administration. "If we don't make a deal, we'll do the
tariffs," Mr. Trump said.
This week, the Commerce Department concluded its investigation
into whether imported cars and parts pose a national-security
threat under Section 232 of U.S. trade law.
Mr. Trump has already voiced support for levies of at least 20%
on automobile imports. If the tariffs are imposed, then prices of
cars from Japan, Germany and South Korea would rise sharply,
assuming those countries don't receive exemptions.
"The EU have been very difficult over a period of time, over
many, many years," Mr. Trump said. "We've studied it very
carefully, we've seen the results...the bottom-line result is
whether we can make a deal with the EU."
Mr. Trump has touted previous tariffs his administration has
developed under a national-security law -- the ones on steel and
aluminum imports -- as a way to protect vital American industries
from unfair foreign competition, while simultaneously putting
pressure on partner countries to open up their markets to more
American goods.
On Wednesday, he was more measured about the potential outcome
where autos are concerned, simply saying, "We'll see what
happens."
Write to Vivian Salama at vivian.salama@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 20, 2019 15:26 ET (20:26 GMT)
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