U.S. President Donald Trump announces the fight with a huge customs package in trading partners in the world.
It could be the prelude to a global trade war: the European Union and China have already announced countermeasures, but at the same time are looking for dialogue.
The US government introduces new flat-rate tariffs of ten percent to imports from all countries, as Trump announced when they appeared in the rose garden of the White House. For many states, significantly higher punitive levies should apply depending on the trade deficit. New tariffs of 20 percent are planned for imports from Germany and other countries of the European Union to the United States.
It is the most aggressive step to date in the course of the already rabid trade policy of the US President. Consumers: Inside in the USA, there must be significant price increases. People in Germany, Europe and other parts of the world will also feel the consequences.
As an immediate consequence of the customs uncertainty, the financial markets rose as a leap in the financial markets as according to securely applicable systems. The gold price climbed a record high and the courses of government bonds such as Germany’s rose. In addition, the euro continued to increase the dollar and rose to almost $ 1.10.
The stock markets, on the other hand, had a difficult time. The fear of a broad, global economic weakness presses on the courses. For the German leading index Dax something, it went down by more than one and a half percent shortly after the start of trade.
Von der Leyen: a difficult blow for the global economy
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the universal tariffs against the whole world are a difficult blow to the global economy, and immense consequences are to be expected. “Millions of people will be confronted with higher food calculations. Medicines are becoming more expensive, as well as the transport. Inflation will increase. And this is particularly damaged by the economically weakest citizens,” she said on the sidelines of a summit with head of state and government in Central Asian states in Uzbekistan.
After Trump’s customs announcement, the EU is preparing an answer, but wants to remain ready to talk. “We already finalize the first package of measures in response to the steel tariffs and are now preparing further measures to protect our interests and companies if the negotiations fail,” said Leyen. You will also see exactly what indirect effects the tariffs could have. It was not too late for negotiations yet. From the Leyen, appealed to the US side to engage in talks. The goal must be to reduce trade barriers and not to increase them.
Drastic surcharges for products from China
China decides the additional US tariffs, as the Ministry of Commerce in Beijing announced. It is a “typical one -sided kind of chicane”. The Ministry asked the US government to remove its tariffs immediately and to solve differences in dialogue. The People’s Republic will determine countermeasures to protect its rights and interests.
Even before the announcement, the United States had occupied 20 percent tariffs from China, the second largest economy in the world, to which Beijing reacted with its own measures. Now the People’s Republic also meets 34 percent, which allows the customs pollution to many products from the Far East in total to more than 50 percent.
The complex new customs package
The package is about so -called mutual tariffs. The US government argues that the United States only raises its tariffs wherever international partners asked for taxes or that other trade barriers for US companies had built up. That is just fair. How the Americans calculate these alleged disadvantages is opaque and therefore difficult to understand the “fairness” of the step.
Trump signed an arrangement at the ceremony at the White House, with which a complex international customs system is introduced. It contains both individual mutual tariffs and flat -rate penalty levies.
Customs of ten percent should apply universally on imports from all countries to the United States and come into force this Saturday. Beyond this, there should be individual criminal levies that vary depending on the country. These should take effect from April 9th. In particular, those countries are targeted that, from the United States, have particularly high trade barriers for American products. For dozens of states, higher taxes beyond the ten percent are planned, some of them.
“This day will go down in history”
Trump spoke of a “day of liberation” for America, which can no longer be ripped off by other countries. “This day will go into history as the day on which the American industry was born when the day has recaptured its fate and the day we started to make America rich again,” said the 78-year-old. “For decades, our country was looted, branded, raped and looted, by nearby and distant nations, of friends and enemies alike.” This is now over. The “golden age” of the USA is coming back.
Trump has been putting on tariffs on a large scale since the re -entry into the White House – similar to his first term. He already imposed criminal levies on all aluminum and steel imports, launched tariffs of 25 percent on imported cars and auto parts, introduced increased tariffs to all goods from China and also targeted the direct neighbors Canada and Mexico.
The consequences for consumers: inside
An import customs works similarly to a tax. The submission must be paid by the importing company – in this case by companies in the USA. It is likely that the importing companies do not simply bear the higher costs themselves, but pass it on to the consumers. Trump’s goal is to prevent US companies from introducing products from abroad. This should strengthen the US production site in the long term.
Since it is expected to be expected and the exporting companies in the United States, but also in other countries, should have a loss of sales, this could lead to a decline in production and job cancellations around the world. An escalating trade conflict between the United States and the EU would also have a significant impact for German consumers.
The conflict with Europe
The Europeans: During negotiations in Washington, I tried to prevent the new tariffs – but unsuccessfully. “They play off to us. It’s so sad to see that. It’s so pathetic,” said Trump with a view to the Europeans.
Again and again Trump ranks against the EU and her trade policy in public appearances. Basically, it is a thorn in the side that European companies sell significantly more goods in the United States than American companies in the EU. The US tariffs that have already been announced on steel and aluminum imports and auto imports have already heated up the trade dispute with Europe.
The message inside
For his customs announcement, Trump chose the famous rose garden of the White House right next to the Oval Office. The US President gathered cabinet members, business representatives and workers: inside, in order to effectively stage his customs decision.
Trump wants to correct alleged trade weights with tariffs and shift more production to the USA. At the same time, customs revenues should at least partially counter its expensive election promise of large tax cuts.
The “trillions and trillions” of income should be used “to reduce our taxes and remove our government debt,” said Trump. Customs also serve the Republican as a means of pressure to enforce political goals in negotiations with other countries – and to present himself as an uncompromising “America First” president.