U.S. to slap tariffs on steel, aluminum from EU on Thursday: sources

[Gerald]

Russia has its finger almost everywhere.

[Gerald]

Update:https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/06/2...s-tariffs.html

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

That was Victoria lamenting over the E.U. dragging its feet over sanctions against the Ukraine. However that's not what really surprised us. What surprised us was Russian intelligence services taped and released the conversation.

Well this thread implies that this is a bit of a more general sentiment within the US foreighn policy right now.


And the US exceptionalism in general.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Vendor

Update:https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/06/2...s-tariffs.html

Couldn't the EU create import bans against political stupidity

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Couldn't the EU create import bans against political stupidity

I wish they have even more flexible will.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Couldn't the EU create import bans against political stupidity

I think we have so much of that ourselves that our only hope is to export it.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Skybird

I think we have so much of that ourselves that our only hope is to export it.

[Rockstar]

leading German think tank says Donald Trump is right that tariffs between the United States and Europe are asymmetrical, but urges negotiations to lower import taxes across the board.


https://global.handelsblatt.com/poli...fo-says-899083

And beginning negotiations was the sole purpose of these tariffs. The E.U. refused to willingly come off their high horse and negotiate. They were warned of tariffs then saw fit to ignore it. Now its realizing it wasn't just a threat.

Donald Tusk, the president of the European Commission, joined the fray, warning in a tweet that “the truth is trade wars are bad and easy to lose.

There appears to be one smart guy left in the E.U.

I guess whats appealing too me about this move is a President (like him or not) who is looking out for his own nation instead of going on an apology tour bowing to kings and queens.

[Gerald]

Donald's policy will strike back on domestic vendors, and other actors who are dependent on new goods that are not in their own country.

[Rockstar]

And the stubbornness of the E.U. and refusal to negotiate will strike back on domestic vendors, and other actors who are dependent on new goods that are not in their own country.


Hence the term 'Trade War'

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

And the stubbornness of the E.U. will strike back on domestic vendors, and other actors who are dependent on new goods that are not in their own country.


Hence the term 'Trade War'

I really hope that there will not be a full-scale trade war.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Rockstar

And the stubbornness of the E.U. and refusal to negotiate will strike back on domestic vendors, and other actors who are dependent on new goods that are not in their own country.

It will hurt both sides, but the big difference is that while the EU and other countries have placed tariffs on finished products that are not necessary for the consumer and for which there are other options to buy, the US on the other hand placed tariffs on raw materials that it needs and cannot supply on its own at the moment. Doesn't sound like a very strong position to start a trade war from.

As for negotiations, I don't know if there were any proposed agreements for the EU, but the NAFTA proposition was hugely favoring the US had it been agreed on. That's not any more fair than the current agreements. Trump is only interested in winning, there is no other option for him. Let's see how that works out.

[Skybird]

The EU has offered, last but not least under pressure from Germany, renegotiations and easing of existing tarrifs.

Whether the US has higher tarrifs on EU goods or the EU had higher tarrifs on US goods, can be endlessly debated. What Trump does not say is that the trade surplus of Europe that he talks of, is only one half of the truth. Non-material economy, namely IT licenses, and service businesses also count, here US companies are global super powers (MS, Google, Apple and the likes), but he ignores these, knowing that the US scores very heavily here. If these get counted as well, then it is the US that most likely has a trade surplus.

In the end, what Trump really is after, are two things. First, pleasing his fans: "See, I hunt the EU dragon and slay it, there!" Second, and that is far more important, he wants to weaken Europe'S negotiation position by dividing it and replacing the EU as the US only negotiation partner with a series of single nations with much weaker position each, who he then can dictate better terms and conditions in US-nation talks instead of US-EU talks. Shatter the block, and then pick up the pieces, that could be named as his motto.

A third effect he may be after, is the indirect weakening of the EU economy by making the fiscal engine of the EU, Germany, stutter. Damaging the car industry means damaging the core industry of Germany (as if you would do a similar attack to the US computer and software industry), Germany is very vulnerable there. A struggling Germany means a struggling EU.

Trump only sometimes tells rightout lies, he prefers to mix some lies with some half-truths, or to tell only half the truth and hide the other half that is more uncomfortable for his claims. In this he indeed is quite clever. What does not mean that he could be trusted any better.

Avoiding a trade war? The war is already there. He almost pearl-harboured Europe, Germany.

[Rockstar]

I know its campaign promises and politics geared towards the next election. But still, I like it better than apology tours.



Unfortunately you all already have enough home grown problems of your own sorry for compounding them, NOT.

[JU_88]

Originally Posted by Vendor

It will hit hard to EU,if this come true.

Cry me a river....
Anyway, of all the things hitting the EU hard at the moment this one is relatively minor.