US offered Canada tariff cuts before trade talks broke down
What's new: Washington said the package would have lowered steel, aluminum and auto duties and scrapped a 10% lumber tariff.
The United States offered Canada a package of tariff cuts before bilateral trade talks collapsed late on Aug. 21, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said, disclosing terms that had not previously been public. Greer said Washington was prepared to remove a 10% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber, cut steel and aluminum tariffs to 25% from 50%, and lower auto tariffs that could have fallen to 7% for vehicles with US content. He said the package also would have suspended new 50% tariffs that took effect Aug. 22 on Canadian dairy, wine, hockey sticks and other goods. The talks unraveled after several days of negotiations that had appeared close to a deal, with the two sides divided over multiple unresolved issues.