WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd November, 2019) The Trump administration is weighing a new investigation of European Union trade practices, as a window allowing duties on auto imports closes, Politico reported on Thursday based on anonymous sources.
With a deadline passed a week ago, the administration expects legal challenges to the continued use of a US law that allows imposition of duties to protect American national security, according to the report.
An investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 would be potentially more sweeping and would subject numerous European industries, subsidies and other programs to scrutiny.
Those briefed on the latest initiative told the news outlet it wasn't clear which EU trade policies that the Trump administration would target in any inquiry and whether autos are still the main target of Trump's potential actions.
However, Trump has frequently accused the European Union of imposing a 10 percent tariff on vehicles while the United States has a 2.5 percent import duty on passenger cars.
Trump has also argued that the current trans-Atlantic commercial relationship is lopsided, with the United States running an annual $151 billion deficit in merchandise trade with the European Union.
