Leather handbags from Europe face extra US duties

Extra import tariffs are planned on some EU-made leather handbags.

A long-running trade dispute may affect exports of leather handbags from the EU to the USA. This wrangle began in 2004 and is said to centre on US complaints about subsidies that the Airbus aircraft producer is claimed to have received from France, Germany, Spain and the UK. Because of what the US government refers to as ‘inconsistencies’ in the way the World Trade Organisation has handled the matter, the US is now reportedly ‘determining the level of countermeasures’ it may invoke.

One of the imports from the EU facing what the US government terms ‘extra import duties’ are leather handbags valued at more than $20. While the dispute originally developed over the alleged actions of four EU member states, the extra tariffs on leather handbags would apply to products made in any EU country. The US government has started a public consultation on its proposed countermeasures, with written comments being sought by May 28th.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the May 2019 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

Other articles from this issue »

---