The European Commission has called on the United States to lift the tariffs it imposed on a range of European imports last year.
The Commission said that the governments of Germany, France and Spain have fully complied with the requirements of the World Trade Organization, after the international trade body ruled that the three had provided illegal subsidies to the aircraft manufacturer, Airbus.
See Also: Trade NewsTariffs worth $7.5 billion were introduced last October by the U.S. Trade Representative, affecting a wide range of European agricultural and manufacturing goods, including packaged olive oils from Spain and some table olives from France and Spain.
The three member states agreed to make modifications to the initial terms of financing the aeronautics company, according to the WTO recommendations, and end a 16-year-long dispute with the organization. As a result of the settlement, the Commission asserted that the U.S. tariffs are groundless and requested that they be dismissed.
“Unjustified tariffs on European products are not acceptable and, arising from the compliance in the Airbus case, we insist that the United States lifts these unjustified tariffs immediately,” Phil Hogan, the E.U. Commissioner for Trade, said.
Quality matters.
Find the world's best olive oils near you.
“The E.U. has made specific proposals to reach a negotiated outcome to the long running transatlantic civil aircraft disputes and remains open to work with the U.S. to agree a fair and balanced outcome, as well as on future disciplines for subsidies in the aircraft sector,” he added.
Hogan also threatened retaliatory measures in case the duties are not lifted by the U.S., pending the decision of the WTO on a similar case regarding the United States providing illegal subsidies to American aircraft manufacturer, Boeing.
“In the absence of a settlement, the E.U. will be ready to fully avail itself of its own sanction rights,” Hogan said. “The WTO will soon issue its arbitration decision in the parallel case of the E.U. against the United States on certain unlawful subsidies to Boeing, where the appellate body had found the U.S. to be in breach of its WTO obligations.”
More articles on: European Commission, European Union, import/export
Jan. 19, 2021
Tunisian Exporters See Opportunities Abroad
Tunisian exporters aim to expand their presence in China and consolidate their growing presence in the American market. Europe remains by far the largest importer of Tunisian olive oil.
Jan. 11, 2021
Domestic Olive Oil Market Improves in Spain
Increasing sales at home have overshadowed a slight dip in exports in the first two months of the current crop year.
Jan. 4, 2021
California Table Olive Harvest Exceeds Expectations Despite Pandemic, Wildfires
The table olive harvest in the Golden State was between 9,000 and 15,000 tons larger than initially expected. The transition to high density groves has increased efficiency and quality, one of the state's main producers said.
Jan. 4, 2021
Brexit Deal Assures Tariff-Free, but Not Frictionless Trade for Producers
The post-Brexit trade deal provides long-awaited assurance for E.U. olive oil producers, but the new trading reality will be far from business as usual.