The Trump administration has a tomorrow deadline to decide whether to impose threatened “Section 232” national security tariffs of as much as 25 percent on imported vehicles and parts under a Cold War-era trade law. Trump in May delayed a decision on the tariffs by six months, and another delay would cause automakers across the globe to breathe a sigh of relief. EU officials said while a further six-month delay was likely, Trump’s actions were unpredictable and he would likely keep the threat of auto tariffs hanging over them as the US and EU pursue trade negotiations in the coming year. Politico on Monday reported that Trump would announce a six-month delay in the EU auto tariff decision, citing an unnamed person familiar with the decision. A South Korean auto industry source also expected Trump to delay the decision on the Section 232 tariffs, and use it as leverage during negotiations with the EU.

Source: Taipei Times November 12, 2019 16:03 UTC