Zollstreit: Kanada verhängt Vergeltungszölle von 20 Milliarden Dollar

In the ongoing trade dispute with the United States, Canada has imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 percent on imports from its neighbor. On September 8, Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that Canada would impose tariffs of between 15.25 and 50 percent on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. imports. These tariffs would mirror the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian goods.

Since the failed trade talks between Washington and Ottawa at the end of last week, the dispute between the neighboring countries has escalated. The United States imposed 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods valued at around $20 billion, including hockey sticks, furniture, honey, and wine. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney subsequently announced the retaliatory tariffs, which have now been detailed.

Trump threatened to increase import taxes on cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel by 50 percent from January 1, 2027. As in the past, companies could evade the tariffs by producing in the U.S. According to the Canadian government, 85 percent of all Canadian cars exported in 2024 went to the United States. Canada will not stand idly by, Finance Minister Champagne published a detailed list of the retaliatory tariffs on US goods on Tuesday afternoon.

He described the situation as an unprecedented challenge imposed on Canada. "When the U.S. asked too much and offered too little, we decided to stand up for Canadians," he said, referring to the failed trade talks that took place on Friday. According to Canadian data, the U.S. currently imposes 25 percent tariffs on imported cars, trucks, and related parts under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act.

They also impose 10 to 50 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper. "Our preferred solution was an agreement that benefits both countries. We still believe this is possible. But in the meantime, we stand ready to wait out the call," said Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc ahead of the announcement. Carney had said on Monday that it had become clear in the negotiations that the U.S. wanted to "siphon off" key Canadian industries such as automotive, steel, and aluminum.

Trump justified his tariffs, among other things, by saying that Canada has been "draining" the United States for years. He claimed that his country did not need to trade with its neighbor. According to the U.S. Census, Canada is currently the second-largest trading partner of the United States. The two countries are particularly intertwined in the energy sector.

Canada is by far the largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the U.S. Natural gas and electricity also cross the border. In both countries, millions of jobs are tied to the trade between the two nations.