First Mexico has received a customs deadline, now also Canada: by April 2, both countries – at least something – can take a deep breath. Because the postponement does not apply to all goods from the US neighboring states.
After a grace period for Mexico, the US government also partially stops tariffs on goods from Canada. For Canadian goods that fall under the North American free trade agreement in USMCA, there would be no penalty taxes by April 2, according to the White House. Such a regulation had already announced US President Donald Trump for Mexico – however, fewer goods from the northern neighboring state fall under the agreement. These are particularly cars and auto parts.
The USMCA is the North America free trade agreement that the USA, Mexico and Canada had signed during Trump’s first term.
Furthermore, 25 percent of criminal levies from Canada apply that do not fall under the USMCA. There are also 10 percent of energy imports and Kalisalz, an important part of fertilizer, from Canada. According to the White House, 38 percent of the goods from Canada fall under the agreement, so it is about 50 percent at Mexico.
Sheinbaum speaks of excellent phone call
In the night of Tuesday, tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico came into force that are imported into the USA. Trump had justified the penalty taxes of 25 percent by the fact that the two countries did not do enough against cross -border drug trafficking. Canada immediately replied to the US tariffs with counter-tariffs, and Sheinbaum also had the prospect of her own tariffs.
Trump later announced that he largely expelled the tariffs on goods from Mexico. “After talking to the Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, I agreed that Mexico does not have to pay tariffs on goods that fall under the USMCA Agreement,” Trump wrote about Truth Social. The Republican wrote that he had granted the postponement of “respect and accommodation”. The relationship with Mexico is good.
The Mexican President Sheinbaum reported on platform X of a phone call to Trump that was excellent. One believes that the collaboration of “unprecedented results” emerged. Mexico went against drug cartels within a few weeks, sent soldiers to the United States and delivered 29 drug bosses to the Trump government that the United States has been looking for for a long time. Sheinbaum said at a press conference that she had announced Trump that her country was making great progress in fulfilling his claims regarding security.
Uncertainty on the stock exchanges and in the economy
As early as February, Trump was only a few hours before the threatened tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico were originally supposed to use, especially for concessions, especially for border security. For this he pushed the trade restrictions on for 30 days.
The unstable procedure of the US president in the introduction and suspension of tariffs shaken the financial markets and reduced consumers’ trust. Its customs policy could also prevent companies from hiring and investing employees. Most economists expect tariffs to lead to higher prices on imports in the USA and slow down the economy. In addition, jobs could be lost.
China threatens countermeasures
But not only Canada and Mexico are affected by the US tariffs. Trump had also doubled the punitive tariffs introduced a month ago to imports from China to 20 percentage points this week. The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticized the US foreign and trade policy and threatened with “decisive” countermeasures.
The United States was “not like a responsible, important country,” said Wang at a press conference. If Washington works with Beijing, it was advantageous for both sides, argued Wang, but: “If you only exert pressure, China will keep it against it”.
