Trump issues more letters to countries in impulse due to rates agreements

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, published a new set of letters to the commercial partners on Wednesday, establishing tariff rates for seven more countries while Washington presses to achieve a large number of commercial agreements.

The letters, aimed at the leaders of the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Algeria, Libya, Iraq and Moldova, explained duties that go from 20 to 30 percent that would enter into force on August 1.

Similar to Trump's first batch published on Monday, the levels were not far from those originally threatened in April, although some partners received remarkably lower rates this time.

The updated Sri Lanka rate was 30 percent, below 44 percent announced in April, while Iraq's figure was 30 percent, below 39 percent.

Philippines, however, saw a 20 percent tax, compared to 17 percent announced above.

While the president in April imposed a 10 percent tax on almost all commercial partners, he announced, and then retained, higher rates for dozens of economies.

The deadline for those most pronounced levels to enter into force were destined to be Wednesday, before Trump postponed him even more until August 1.

On the other hand, the countries that face high tasks threats began to receive letters that explained tariff rates of the United States in their products.

Trump said Wednesday that he decided the taxes depending on the “common sense” and commercial deficits.

He added in an event that would launch more letters later in the day, even for Brazil, which currently does not face a tank walk in August.

Trump's last messages were almost identical to those published earlier for the week, and justified his tariffs as an answer to commercial ties that, according to him, are “far from being reciprocal.”

They urged countries to manufacture products in the United States to avoid duties, while threatened a greater escalation if leaders retaliate.

For now, more than 20 countries have received Trump's letters, including the key allies of the United States, Japan and South Korea, as well as Indonesia, Bangladesh and Thailand.

Analysts have noticed that Asian countries have been a key objective so far.

But all eyes are in the state of negotiations with the main partners that have not yet received such letters, including the European Union.

For now, the Trump administration is under pressure to present more commercial pacts. Until now, Washington has only reached agreements with Great Britain and Vietnam, along with an agreement to temporarily lower Tit tax by eye with China.

Trump said on Tuesday that his government was “probably two days off” by sending a letter to the EU with an updated rate for the block.

“They are very hard, but now they are being very friendly to us,” he added at a cabinet meeting.

An EU spokesman said Wednesday that the block wants to reach an agreement with the United States “in the next few days”, and has demonstrated the preparation to reach an agreement in principle.

The EU diplomats say that the European Commission, in charge of the commercial policy for the block of 27 countries, could continue the conversations until August 1.

The EU expects Trump to maintain a 10 percent reference rate on their goods, with exemptions for critical sectors such as airplanes, spirits and cosmetics, Diplomats said to the AFP this week.

Legal challenges to Trump's radical tariffs continue to make their way through the judicial system of the United States.

In addition to rates aimed at products from different countries, Trump has also implemented the specific tasks of the sector on steel, aluminum and cars since he returned to the White House in January.

On Tuesday, Trump said the levies entered copper and pharmaceutical products.

The planned rate for copper is 50 percent, he added, while pharmaceutical products face a tax of up to 200 percent, but manufacturers would have time to relocate operations.