25% Tariffs on French Handbags, Cosmetics Supposed to Begin Jan. 6
Less than 12 hours before the effective date of tariffs promised on French handbags, soaps and cosmetics (see 2007130043), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative was silent on whether the tariffs will be going up on Jan. 6. One official at USTR who was not authorized to speak to the press said, “I'm not sure anyone could answer that question at this juncture.” The media affairs office did not respond to questions.
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Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told International Trade Today on Jan. 5 that he didn't know if it was going to happen, since he had not spoken with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer since before Christmas. “You know I don’t like tariffs, but France has escalated this situation by already sending invoices out to our companies,” he said during a phone call with reporters. He said that a digital services tax is discriminatory. But, he said, he would prefer if all parties could focus on an agreed approach on international taxation through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
CBP did not respond to a question about whether the tariffs would be imposed on Jan. 6.