+++ US-Zollpolitik +++: Kanada verhängt Vergeltungszölle im Wert von 20 Milliarden Dollar

The United States and Canada have agreed to postpone new US tariffs on Canadian imports by three days to allow for further negotiations, according to a statement from President Donald Trump. The planned tariffs, which would have imposed a 50% tax on Canadian goods, are now temporarily suspended. The new tariffs would have affected approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian products, including hockey sticks and medical wood augers, accounting for about 5% of annual Canadian exports to the US.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had last-minute discussions with President Trump on Tuesday to avoid imposing further retaliatory tariffs. The 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of goods were set to take effect at midnight, marking the second meeting between the two leaders this week. The White House and the US Trade Representative had not yet provided a statement or response.

Industry representatives familiar with the negotiations mentioned that the existing US tariffs on Canadian vehicles were a major point of contention, with discussions ongoing to reduce the tariffs from 25% to 15%. The US government wants only products manufactured in the US to be counted, while Canada insists on including all North American components, including Canadian and Mexican parts.

President Trump has imposed minimum prices and tariffs on polysilicon products to protect domestic industry from Chinese competition. The tariffs, based on a 1962 US law, will apply to materials such as polysilicon, which is essential for the semiconductor and solar industries, among others.