U.S. Auto Tariffs Still Option If Protectionism Stays, Ross Says
- November deadline on vehicle duties ‘imaginary,’ he says
- U.S. has ‘perfect justification’ for duties; prefers talks
US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross.
Photographer: Manish Swarup/AP Photo
The U.S. could still consider imposing tariffs on auto imports from the European Union and elsewhere if countries continue to undertake protectionist measures, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said.
“We have a perfect justification to put tariffs on if we wish to; the president decided it was better to negotiate,” Ross said in an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos Thursday. “We’ve had constructive negotiations with the German car manufacturers, with the Koreans and with the Japanese. So far we haven’t felt the need to do it. But if people do silly things, if they do protectionist and discriminatory things, like pillar one of the digital-services tax, we’re obviously going to respond.”