U.S. considers zero tariff on imports of non-domestic goods such as coffee and mangoes

US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stated this Tuesday (29) that products not produced domestically in the United States could receive a zero tariff, citing mangoes and coffee as examples.

“The United States does not produce these products. So, they could enter with zero tariff,” he said in an interview with the television network CNBC International.

Earlier, Lutnick had already stated that the country’s president, Donald Trump, would make his decisions regarding trade agreements this week, despite ongoing separate negotiations with China and the European Union.

“For the rest of the world, we’ll have everything ready by Friday,” said the secretary. Among the countries threatened by new tariffs is Brazil, which is expected to face a 50% tariff on its products starting Friday (August 1).

US and EU officials are still discussing tariffs on steel and aluminum, as well as regulations on digital services, following the framework of a deal announced between the parties on Sunday, Lutnick said in the CNBC interview, adding that negotiations with China are “a separate matter.”

Asked about lingering uncertainties around the US-EU agreement, Lutnick said that Trump is working “to get things done now.”

He added that pharmaceuticals were a key part of the deal with the EU, so that drugs manufactured in European countries — home to many of the world’s major pharmaceutical producers — would be included in the 15% tariff.

“It was important to them that pharmaceuticals be part of the 15% deal, because President Trump will unveil his pharmaceutical policy in the next two weeks, and it will be higher,” he said.

Source: Folha de S. Paulo

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