US President Donald Trump signed a decree imposing an increase in customs duties for dozens of countries around the world on Thursday evening, with whom the United States believes he has a more or less marked trade deficit.
However, they will take effect on August 7, not this Friday, August 1, as an initially expected, announced a senior American official. This period of seven days before effective entry into force is provided to allow customs to organize, the official told the press.
The new customs duties range between 10 %and 41 %, the highest concerning Syria, while the European Union (EU), Japan or South Korea are applied a surcharge of 15 %, a measure which aims to “restructure world trade for the benefit of American workers”, assures the White House in a document.
In general, most of the countries cited are imposed 15 %customs duties, some countries being at a higher rate, like South Africa, 30 %, Serbia, 35 %, or Switzerland, at 39 %.
Canada treated aside
For its part, Canada is also targeted by a separate decree, which puts customs duties on its products imported into the United States from 25 % to 35 %.
This increase only concerns products not passing within the framework of the North American free trade agreement (ACEUM).
“Canada has not been able to cooperate in order to reduce the flood of fentanyl and other drugs,” entering the United States, regretted the White House in a document, to justify this decision, “and it has taken reprisals against the United States”.