Donald Trump tightens hard customs course – no country is spared

US President Donald Trump has made his announcement true: The United States is introducing new flat-rate tariffs of ten percent to most imports to the United States. For many countries, higher punitive levies should apply depending on the trade deficit. 20 percent should apply to the European Union. This was announced by Trump in the presence of the complete cabinet and numerous guests in the rose garden of the White House.

It is the most aggressive and serious step in the US president’s trade policy. The European Union hits this and is likely to burden the global economy to a considerable extent. A trade war with the European Union now seems inevitable.

The Republican had advertised the day of the announcement in advance as a “day of liberation” and announced the imposition of mutual tariffs. In principle, this means that the United States raised its tariffs in relation accordingly, where they are currently less demanding than its trading partners. Now he wants to introduce a highly complex system that contains both mutual and flat -rate penalty taxes.

Customs of ten percent should apply universally on imports from all countries to the United States. Beyond this, there should be individual criminal levies that vary depending on the country. In particular, those countries are targeted that, from the United States, have particularly high trade barriers for American products. In addition to customs duties, Trump repeatedly complains other trade barriers such as import requirements, subsidies or other regulations.

“This day will go down in history when the day on which the American industry was born when America has recaptured its fate and the day we started to make America rich again,” said Trump. “For decades, our country was looted, branded, raped and looted, by nearby and distant nations, of friends and enemies alike.” This is now over. Trump spoke of one of the most important days in US history. The “Golden Age” of the USA is coming back.

Trump has been putting tariffs on tariffs – 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 targeted its neighbors Canada and Mexico. The auto tariffs in particular hit Europe and the German market.

An import customs works similarly to a tax. It has to be paid by the importing company – in this case, the companies in the USA. It is likely that the importing companies do not simply cover the higher costs themselves. They are likely to pass them on to consumers – the prices rise so that inflation could be fueled again. Trump’s goal is to prevent US companies from introducing products from abroad. This should promote the production site in the long term.

Since it is expected to be expected and the exporting companies should have a loss of sales, this could lead to a decline in production and possible job cancellations, which can burden the economy as a whole. An escalating trade conflict between the United States and the EU will therefore also have a significant impact for German consumers.

For his customs announcement, Trump did not choose any place, but the rose garden. It was the Republican’s first event in the famous garden right next to the Oval Office after his re -entry into the White House. In the past, Trump has described Zölle as his favorite word and introduced various punitive levies during his first term.