US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the US will respect tariff caps in trade deals struck with the EU, Japan and other countries, and planned US tariffs over forced labour provide the legal basis to do so.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer speaks with reporters at the White House in Washington, DC, US on April 2. PARIS — The US will respect tariff caps in trade deals struck with the EU, Japan and other countries, and planned US tariffs over forced labour provide the legal basis to do so, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Thursday .
"We understand that a deal is a deal," Greer told reporters on the sidelines of an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ministerial meeting in Paris. Washington has struck deals with Brussels and Tokyo that limit US tariffs on most EU or Japanese imports to a maximum of 15 per cent.
However, Greer's office on Tuesday unveiled a new set of tariffs on 60 countries after asserting that they had failed to curb trade in goods made with forced labour in an unfair trade practices investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. He said the findings of a second Section 301 probe into structural excess manufacturing capacity in 16 of the largest US trading partners, including China, the EU and Japan, would be released in the coming weeks.
Tariffs resulting from that probe could push US tariffs on EU and Japanese goods well past 15 per cent unless capped by the previously agreed trade deals. Regarding the EU trade deal, Greer said the agreement acknowledged that the US could impose tariffs "up to a certain level" and that the Section 301 investigation findings give US President Donald Trump the authority to do so.
EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who spoke with Greer at the OECD meeting, said both sides agreed that "the deal is the deal", which meant for the European side the terms agreed at Turnberry with an all-inclusive 15 per cent tariff. Sefcovic said EU countries had been surprised to find themselves targeted by tariffs over forced labour on account of their high labour standards, but he expected the European Parliament to approve the Turnberry deal with the Trump administration.
The EU is working to introduce a ban in December 2027 across the bloc on all products involving forced labour, irrespective of whether they originate in the EU or in a third country, he said.
Please follow us on Google to support usUS Trade Representative Jamieson Greer Tariff Caps EU Trade Deal Japan Trade Deal
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Taiwan Demands Japan, Philippines Respect Its Rights in Maritime Boundary Talks Overlapping EEZTaiwan has formally asked Japan and the Philippines to respect its sovereign rights and territorial claims during their upcoming maritime boundary negotiations, as the area in question overlaps with Taiwan's exclusive economic zone. The move follows China's deployment of coast guard ships near Taiwan in opposition to the talks, accusations Beijing has no right to represent Taiwan, and a statement from Japan that any deal would not bind third parties.
Read more »
Singapore Faces New 12.5% Tariff on Exports to US Over Forced Labor ConcernsSingapore exports to the US in categories like energy, electronics, and pharmaceuticals will be hit with a 12.5% tariff under a new US measure targeting forced labor goods. The Ministry of Trade and Industry expressed disappointment and plans to engage the US.
Read more »
Singapore could face 12.5% US tariff after forced labour trade probeSingapore faces a potential 12.5% US tariff on exports following a trade probe into its enforcement of forced labour bans. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Singapore assessing impact as US proposes 12.5% tariffs over forced labour probeThe proposed tariff would cover about one-third of Singapore’s domestic exports to the US, says the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Read more »