U.S. Offered to Cut 4 Canada Tariffs Before Talks Collapsed
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 22
U.S. Offered to Cut 4 Canada Tariffs Before Talks Collapsed
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 22
Summary
Jamieson Greer said Washington had offered to lower tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos and scrap a new lumber tariff before Canada rejected the package and negotiations broke down Friday night.
The U.S. trade representative said the proposal would have given Canada the most preferential treatment of any U.S. trading partner, revealing terms that had previously been confidential.
The collapse came after a week of talks that had appeared close to a deal, including Trump's Aug. 18 claim that an agreement had been reached pending final documents.
That apparent breakthrough followed Trump's July threat to impose 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian exports; the duties were delayed from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22 before the late-stage unraveling.