Dice, today Trump’s communication: what has happened so far and what we know (and how much Italy risks)
Trump has declared that he will be « very kind »: given an official communication at 10 pm, already announced that the rates will have immediate effect
US President Donald Trump has announced that from April 2 it will impose « mutual » universal duties. Today an official communication from the White House at 10 pm, Italian time, and has already been announced that the rates has already been expected will have immediate effect.
According to the Wall Street Journal, The American administration would be thinking about 20% rates for all countries that have commercial exchanges with the United States. Therefore, you just have to wait for the next few hours to understand which sectors will be affected and to what extent. Let’s see in the meantime What have been the measures announced so farbetween threats, reverse and negotiation attempts.
The duties against China, the negotiations with Mexico and Canada
The first rates to enter into force were those against Beijing. At midnight on February 3 (now US) the duties of 10% on imports from China have been takenthat the American president had announced the previous Saturday.
While the duties of 25% on imports from Mexico And Canada They were postponed by a month after the calls with the Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The latter undertook to employ « about 10,000 people » to « protect the border and stop the flow of Fenanyl».
Mexico, on the other hand, agreed to strengthen the northern border, with « 10 thousand soldiers of the National Guard to prevent drug trafficking for the United States, in particular of Fenanyl ». The United States, in turn, have committed themselves to working to prevent the trafficking of weapons towards Mexican signs.
The Chinese answer
Beijing, after the American duties, immediately announced increases from 10 to 15% on the US exports of energy and agricultural equipment. These measures entered into force on February 10th. Beijing imposed rates of 15% on coal and on liquefied natural gas (GNL) US and 10% duties on crude oil, agricultural machines and large vehicles.
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On March 3, Trump increased the duties on Chinese products of a further 10%. China on March 10 triggered new rates of 15% on Chicken, wheat, corn and cotton and 10% on Sorghum, soy, pig, beef, seafood, fruit, vegetables and dairy products coming from the United States.
The second postponement of the duties against Mexico and Canada
After the suspension of a month, on 4 March the duties on American and Canadian products, including cars and some products agri -food. The rates were then frozen until April 2nd.
The duties of 25% on steel and aluminum (also EU)
On March 12, the Trump administration imposed duties of 25% on steel and aluminum imported into the United States. These were The first rates that also affected products imported from the European Unionto which Brussels initially had responded with a package of countermeasures then postponed.
The EU tax the whiskey, Trump attacks European wine
At first, the European Commission reacted to USA duties by announcing counter-to-date on the American whiskey of 50%, starting from April 1st. Trump replied threatening 200% duties on European wine and alcohol. Afterwards Brussels has decided to postpone all countermeasures to April 13th.
What we know so far on the mutual rates of April 2nd
On the arrival duties on April 2, it is still known. The White House has limited itself to emphasizing that The duties of April 2 will be « mutual » and differentiated country per country. The American president said it will be « Very kind » With the commercial partners of the United States when it announces the duties. Other countries « have taken advantage of us and we will be very kind to them, compared to what they did to us, » he said, ensuring that the US customs duties will be « lower » and in some cases « significantly more
low »of those imposed by other states.
What are the risks for Italian companies
In 2024 the sales of Italian goods in the United States they reached 65 billion euros, with a surplus close to 39 billion. The main sectors in terms of export value to the United States, according to the Confindustria Study Center, are: machinery and plants (12.4 billion), motor vehicles and other means of transport (11.1 billion), pharmaceuticals (8 billion), food (4 billion), chemistry (2.9 billion), drinks (2.6 billion), clothing (2.4 billion). The most exposed sectors in terms of flows, on the other hand, are drinks (39% of exports are directed in the USA), vehicles and other means of transport (30.7% and 34.0%) and pharmaceuticals (30.7%).
