U.S. President Donald Trump will ban imports of Canadian dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and motorcycles. After Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on U.S. goods, the United States moved to add measures including an import ban and exclusion from the federal procurement market.
According to the White House on the 8th (local time), President Trump signed three proclamations banning the import of Canadian dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and motorcycles starting at 12:01 a.m. on the 29th (U.S. Eastern time).
The move came shortly after Canada began imposing tariffs of up to 50% on $27.6 billion Canadian dollars (about $20 billion·26.8658 trillion won) worth of U.S. goods as of that day.
The United States has imposed tariffs of up to 50% on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods since the 22nd of last month. When Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs of the same scale, the United States again played the import ban card.
According to the proclamations and annexes, 14 dairy-related items, including whey protein concentrate and processed whey, molasses, and nonalcoholic beer, are subject to the import ban. Among alcoholic beverages, imports of 14 items, including beer, sparkling wine, and regular wine, are banned.
Motorcycles and bicycles equipped with a reciprocating internal combustion piston engine with a cylinder capacity of more than 800 cc will also be barred from import.
President Trump cited Section 338 of the Customs Act as the legal basis for the move. The provision allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 50% or ban imports on products from countries that take discriminatory measures in trade with the United States.
The United States also expanded pressure on Canada to the federal procurement market. Earlier, President Trump directed the General Services Administration (GSA) to exclude Canadian products transacted through the Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) from U.S. government procurement.
A senior U.S. official said in a White House press call that day, "The key actions taken today are an import ban, revisions to existing tariffs, and an announcement on restricting Canadian corporations' participation in U.S. government procurement."
The official added, "These are measures to restore a level playing field and protect U.S. production," and said, "They are intended to respond to Canada, one of the few countries that retaliated against the United States during the push for reindustrialization and changes in trade policy."
Additional tariffs on Canadian automobiles and steel are expected to be imposed as planned. The official said the plan to raise the tariff rate on Canadian automobiles and parts and on steel to 50% starting Jan. 1 next year, as President Trump released on the 24th of last month, "remains in effect."
However, there remains a possibility that the two countries will resume negotiations. The official said, "Over the past few days, I have spoken with my counterpart, Canada's Minister for U.S. trade, Dominic LeBlanc," and added, "I believe Canada is also interested in seeking alternative solutions, and as always, we are open."