June 2nd – The National Association of Beverage Importers (NABI), Washington, DC, the only nation-wide association representing importers of wine, distilled spirits, and beer, applauds Ambassador Katherine Tai on the USTR decision announced today that imposes tariffs (“additional duties”) on goods from Austria, India, Italy, Spain Turkey, and the United Kingdom and immediately suspends them for up to 180-days for negotiations at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the G20 process to resolve the Digital Services Taxes (DST) disputes. This approach parallels the action taken previously by USTR in the French DST investigation last year.
NABI President Robert M. Tobiassen said “Given the somewhat unilateral action by the EU last week in suspending the doubling of its retaliatory tariffs (until December 1, 2021) in the steel and aluminum trade dispute in return for a U.S. commitment for negotiations by the end of the year, this unilateral action by USTR is a welcomed response. Moreover, this action continues to reduce tensions between the U.S. and the EU and provide more breathing space for improved trade relations between the two parties and, importantly, continues to create a positive environment for resolving the Airbus/Boeing trade disputes.”
Tobiassen said “This step continues the goodwill build so far creates a favorable environment for the settlement several trade disputes with the EU and recognizes that the ultimate and fundamental resolutions of State financial support to domestic entities and the need for a longer term and global solution to the excess steel capacity world-wide must be found and agreed to at the World Trade Organization (WTO).” He added, “The trade experts and technicians at USTR and the European Commission must come up with principles or rules and a concrete solution that meets the needs of both the U.S. and EU quickly, so the political decision on the Airbus/Boeing settlements can be made no later than the U.S.-EU Summit scheduled for June 14, 2021, following the G7 Ministerial meeting in the UK.”
For more information, please contact NABI at nabipresident@beveimporters.org or visit the NABI website at www.bevimporters.org
