Trump’s next trade target: Europe’s scooters and cheese

http://www.politico.eu/ ^ | By Hans von der Burchard and Adam Behsudi 2/9/17, 4:27 PM CET Updated 2/9/17, 10:32 PM | By Hans von der Burchard and Adam Behsudi

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Washington has a prime opportunity to slap 100 percent tariffs on key EU exports.

Iconic European products ranging from Roquefort cheese to Vespa scooters will soon be in Donald Trump’s sights.

The billionaire property tycoon won the U.S. presidency on a highly protectionist agenda and vowed to slash the country’s eye-watering deficits with leading trade partners. While China and Mexico have borne the brunt of his early threats, he now has a prime opportunity to box out some of Europe’s most famous exports.

Next Wednesday, the U.S. trade representative will hold a public hearing on slapping an eventual 100 percent import tariff on about 90 European products, particularly targeting agricultural products from France, Germany and Italy.

The potential duties derive from a transatlantic quarrel that has dragged on for more than 20 years over the EU’s refusal to accept imports of U.S. beef treated with hormones. Powerful U.S. farming groups are pushing the Trump administration to hit the EU hard. The EU has a €136 billion surplus with the U.S., making it particularly vulnerable to trade sanctions.

While most of the 90-odd products targeted by the U.S. retaliatory list are meats, Washington also has its knife out for motorbikes, chocolate, mustard, paprika, chestnuts and — bizarrely — hair clippers.

“If a tariff is put on Vespas, we would lose our business because some U.S. farmers want to inject their cattle with growth hormones” — Paul Henry, owner of a Vespa dealership in Oregon

[Graybeard58]

If it ain’t from Parma. It ain’t cheese.

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Parma, Missouri is not know for cheese making, lots of cows around there though.