The custody of the U.S. special duties on European vehicles is the German policy and industry. On Sunday, the deadline ran out, and up to the the US Department of Commerce should decide whether imports of EU cars and car parts the national security of the United States to threaten. According to a report in the “Handelsblatt” attributed to the Federal government that the authority considers, in fact, imports as a threat. The report in front of the White house already. Thus, U.S. President Donald Trump could be located within 90 days about whether or not he wants to charge special duties.

Chancellor Angela Merkel had criticized the decision in advance to arm you for Germany shockingly, Merkel said on Saturday at the Munich security conference. You don’t understand how Americans could consider German cars as a threat to national security.

“duties on German cars for reasons of national security are simply absurd,” said the head of the Cologne Institute of German economy (IW), Michael Hüther, the “Handelsblatt”. He called for “the EU’s response closed, and in such a way that it hurts in the United States, but negotiations will not be installed”. The EU Commission has threatened counter-measures.

The German sector Federation VDA showed concern and stressed the commitment of the manufacturer in the USA. Special duties in the amount of 25 per cent, as you are in conversation, would mainly affect the companies in this country, calculated the Munich-based ifo Institute.

An assessment as a threat to the US security would not be comprehensible, as reported by the VDA in Berlin, the German press Agency. So alone, the German car industry have created in the past few years, with around 300 factories in more than 113,000 jobs in the United States, as well as the dual training system for skilled workers was introduced and the largest car exporter from the USA. “All of that strengthens the U.S. and is not a safety problem,” the VDA.

With special duties, to break down Trump, the American trade deficit in comparison with the EU, which he perceives as unfair, and Jobs in the United States. As possible but also that the President is using the threat of tariffs as a means of pressure in the negotiations. So, it is expected, according to the “Handelsblatt,” in Germany, that the United States impose duties of 10 to 25 percent, but exemptions for European cars could approve. “I like customs, but I also want you to negotiate,” said the President on Friday.

The US Ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, defended the U.S. plans as the only way to force the Europeans to engage in talks on free trade. “The Europeans are only to negotiate with us, because the car duties threaten,” he said, the düsseldorf-based “business week”. It looks as if “only the pressure medium functioning”.

when exactly is the decision of the U.S. Department of Commerce becomes public, it is so far unclear. This Monday is a holiday in the United States. The Ministry would not comment in advance of the decision.

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the Ifo Institute, U.S. special duties could German car exports cut in half almost

The VDA reiterated its support for free trade and the removal of customs duties. “Customs barriers do not benefit anyone, including the United States. Rather, they represent a burden for the world trade and international value chains, especially the American automotive industry would be affected.“ (dpa, AFP)