It was discussed to some extent last night on the ARD (public TV, Channel One) news, and it might be worth discussing for a minute.
The EU has concluded a trade agreement with Japan. Unlike the path of the US-EU trade agreement in 2016, which ultimately failed....this one moved by. I would suggest that the EU desperately needed to conclude it and use it as their argument against the tariff situation with the US.
Plus-up for Japan? No tariffs on e-bikes or bicycles. Note, this starts in 2019.
Cars from Japan? The tariffs coming off for them? Not for another seven years.
Trade currently, before this takes place? Japan imports (in services and items) roughly 75 billion Euro. The EU imports around 65 to 70 billion Euro (depending on who you get the numbers from). Total, if you use numbers from 2015, around 150 billion Euro in transit.
Will this treaty change much of anything? That's really the big question. The spin here is that this Japanese deal will help in minor ways to counter the US tariff business, and that will eventually force the US to the table.
The amusing thing to the deal? According to various news sources, the deal removed various tariffs in effect. There's just not very much left on the table between Japan and the EU for tariffs.....which is what President Trump advocated for in the first place. I sat and watched one interview last night where a German union representative was negative over the EU-Japan deal because the impact of lost jobs sits there in plain sight, and that the tariffs 'protected' certain jobs.
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