+++ US-Zollpolitik +++: Kanada und USA verhandeln kurz vor angedrohtem Inkrafttreten von Zöllen

The United States and Canada are negotiating to avert the imminent imposition of 50 percent tariff rates on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. The deadline for the tariffs to take effect is midnight. This is the second phone call between the two leaders in a week. However, the status of the ongoing negotiations remains unclear.

Canada's office confirmed the call but did not provide further details. The White House and the US Trade Representative have not yet issued a statement. According to industry representatives familiar with the negotiations, reducing US tariffs from 25 to 15 percent on Canadian vehicles was a major point of contention. The two sides have discussed lowering the tariffs from 25 to 15 percent.

A key issue is the basis for calculating additional tariff concessions. The US government wants only products manufactured in the United States to be counted. Canada, however, insists on including all North American inputs, including Canadian and Mexican components. President Donald Trump imposed a 15 percent tariff on polysilicon products to protect domestic industry from Chinese competition.

The presidential office announced on Thursday that a 15 percent tariff would be imposed on the material. Starting December 4, minimum import prices will apply. These prices are $21 per kilogram for polysilicon, $100 per kilogram for blocks and wafers, $0.22 per watt for solar cells, and $0.38 per watt for solar modules. Polysilicon is a high-purity form of silicon and forms the basis of the supply chains for the chip and solar industries.

The new trade restrictions are based on a 1962 US law. Even before the first vehicles are expected to roll over the Gordie Howe International Bridge on Monday, Canada has hosted a billion-dollar opening ceremony for the bridge without US government representatives. Canada has invited the United States to the opening ceremony of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is understandable given that Canada pays significant tariffs to the United States, wrote US President Donald Trump, referencing the reason for the lack of a US representative.

The bridge's inauguration was to have been formalized with a joint ceremony, but Trump announced new additional tariffs of 50 percent on certain Canadian products earlier in the week. The tariffs are set to take effect 30 days after the signature, on August 19. The United States is not a "mendicant" for Europe, and they will not tolerate being made to feel that way, wrote Trump.

His administration will immediately launch an investigation into the practice of "draining" American companies and thus the US taxpayers. The lab and pharmaceutical supplier Sartorius reimbursed customers for unlawfully paid US tariffs, dampening first-half growth of the company's revenue. The DAX corporation reported a nominal revenue increase of 2.5 percent to €1.81 billion in the first half of the year, including compensatory payments and adjusted for exchange rate effects.

Without the compensatory payments and adjusted for exchange rate effects, the increase would have been 7.7 percent. "With regard to the US tariff reimbursements, whose timing and amount were long uncertain, it is good to have more clarity now - despite the non-operational effect on our reported figures," explained company CEO Michael Grosse.

The US Supreme Court had declared most of the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump invalid. The US is escalating the trade dispute with its neighbor Canada by imposing a 50 percent tariff on a wide range of Canadian products. President Donald Trump signed the measure on Monday, according to the White House. The rationale was the "discriminatory treatment" of US cars, alcohol, and dairy products by Canada.

The tariffs are based on a nearly century-old 1930 trade act and are set to take effect on August 19.