The Trump administration announced on Friday that it had granted tariff exemptions for certain Canadian imports, just two weeks before the November midterm elections.
The exemptions remove 50% tariffs on some agricultural products from Canada. The duties had been imposed after Canada pulled out of trade negotiations with the Trump administration in late August.
President Donald Trump signed a proclamation removing plywood sheets, selected paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, as well as specific packing crates and boxes from the tariff list, according to a White House fact sheet.
The revised list will include certain valves, carpets, waste materials and other products instead. The changes are scheduled to take effect on October 30. The White House said the changes are intended to “better serve the public interest” while maintaining efforts to counter what it described as Canada’s discriminatory treatment of U.S. commerce.
The United States imposed a 50% tariff on approximately $20 billion (£15 billion) worth of Canadian goods after trade negotiations between the two countries broke down in August.
In response, Canada introduced a series of retaliatory measures. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the countermeasures were necessary to protect Canadian workers. Last month, following the collapse of negotiations, Carney announced matching tariffs on U.S. goods on a ‘dollar-for-dollar’ basis. Trump had introduced the duties over what he described as the unfair treatment of American car, dairy and alcohol exports.
The White House said the latest revisions would remove tariffs on certain products, including some packing crates and boxes, while extending duties to other goods, such as carpets and waste materials. The administration said the move was part of President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to protect American workers and promote what it considers fair trade practices.
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