Tollmøte med USA: – Påvirker vårt forhold
Statssekretæren drar tomhendt hjem etter møte med amerikansk handelstopp
On Wednesday, Norway's Secretary of State Andreas Kravik met with US Trade Representative Jeffrey Goettman in Washington, according to NRK. The purpose of the meeting was to persuade the Americans to lower the tariffs on Norwegian goods. However, the meeting yielded no concrete results, according to the state channel. Goettman stated that for lower tariffs, either an agreement needs to be reached with the US, or a ban that has been adopted must be in place, per Kravik.
In response to Norwegian inquiries, Norwegian authorities noted that Norway shares the same regulations as the EU regarding forced labor. In July, the US imposed a 12.5% tariff on several Norwegian goods, while the EU only had to endure a 10% tariff. The Americans justify the higher rate by stating that Norway has not introduced a ban on importing goods from forced labor.
Norwegian businesses also fear the possibility of an additional punitive tariff. The US is currently investigating Norway and several other countries for so-called "structural overcapacity," which could lead to further tariffs. It is expected that a conclusion will be reached on this matter in the near future. Kravik informed NRK that a decision from the US trade representative will come within three to five weeks.
He added that when a tariff hits Norwegian actors harder than other European actors, it influences our relationship with the US.
Written by urgent.news from E24 Norway's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
