EU targets Harley Davidson, Levi's in Trump trade war

[DonViejo]

Source: Agence France-Presse



The EU is drawing up retaliatory measures against leading US brands such as Levi's and Harley Davidson after US President Donald Trump threatened a trade war with plans for tariffs on steel and aluminium, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said Friday.

But a top EU trade official said Trump still has a small chance to avoid a damaging global trade war and asked the US leader to reconsider his aims before he signed them into effect next week.

"We will not sit idly when European industry and jobs are threatened," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said on the sidelines of a conference in Hamburg, Germany.

"The EU is preparing import duties for US products including Harley-Davidson, Bourbon and Levi's jeans," his spokeswoman quoted him as saying on Twitter.”





Read more: https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/eu-targets-harley-davidson-levis-trump-trade-war-doc-11o4s54

[Xipe Totec]

1. Wilbur did not take retaliation into account when he said tariffs were 'no big deal' nt

[AtheistCrusader]

2. Harley is barely breathing at this point. They can ill afford this shit.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. I'm not sure the European market will be their salvation, tariff or not.

Even our State (MI) Police are buying BMW motorcycles now. For the performance.

[AtheistCrusader]

14. That's a good point.

I think they are more targeting India for expansion. Not Europe.

[Codifer]

17. Royal Enfield

India loves them... no room for Harleys.

[GP6971]

22. WA State's State Patrol

has had BMWs for at least the last 10 years.

[brush]

23. The point is that if Harley loses it's European sales it might be curtains for the company...

that's already losing market share here to BMW.

[Rollo]

24. Harley's problem is that they have never truly modernized...

Their motors may make an iconic rumble, but they all leak oil, even the new ones. They make less HP per cubic inch or cc than just about any other modern motorcycle. With the possible exception of the antiquated Russian "Ural" bikes, which rely on a WWII era BMW design borrowed from Nazi Germany.

Back in the 80's, Reagan sought to save Harley by slapping a big tariff on imported motorcycles with displacement over 700cc. The Japanese manufacturers responded by destroking their motors from 750cc (their most popular size) to 700. They still sold well. Harley just managed to survive, but the assistance meant that they were not forced to fully modernize their design. And now they are soon to be back on the ropes again, this time because of trade tariffs.

Ironic.

[brush]

30. Yep, they're in trouble. What is it with management that they just rely on that Harley lick...

sound without modernizing?

[riversedge]

31. They sure seem to make lots $$ off its Brand--hats, scarfs, etc etc

[Aristus]

3. Retaliatory tariffs?

Who could have forseen that?

[rurallib]

13. I know - aren't people supposed to thank Donnie when he slaps them

[titaniumsalute]

4. So Trump was all chummy with HD

Wonder if they will be on the phone this weekend asking him to change his fucking mind and now? Harley has been having sales declines in the US for some years now. This could possibly put them out of business. Wonder if the Oompa Loompa will listen?

[gilligan]

5. Levi's?

They are made in China!

[poboy2]

25. Yes, was just going to comment. Much to my disappointment, this is correct. -eom

[Bengus81]

26. I thought they were more in Mexico--or at least some of it....

But it's still an American corporation..........

[iluvtennis]

6. Good. Fight fire with fire

[debsy]

7. DONALD TRUMP IS AN ACTIVE AGENT OF RUSSIA.

Everything he does is intended to contribute to the downfall of this country and prop up Russia and their oligarchic kleptocracy. We have a criminal enterprise running our government now. Republicans are complicit or actively participating in the overthrow of every aspect of our government. The only thing I am still not 100% certain of is whether or not anything can be done to stop the train.

In my opinion, that is. I wouldn't want to get SUED!

[Fred Sanders]

18. These tariffs nothing to do with Russia, so....

[radical noodle]

21. I think you might be wrong

if you think Russia isn't delighting in this trade war stuff.

[riversedge]

8. oh oh No wonder Gov Walker is having a fit. Harley D is headquartered in Milwaukee WI.

[GulfCoast66]

9. Well at least there is one positive

Out of this giant cluster fuck...my bourbon should be cheaper!

[Yavin4]

12. Uh, no. Everything gets more expensive in a trade war.

Everything.

[GulfCoast66]

15. Not absolutely everything

And not arguing for tariffs which I think are the worse thing you can possibly do. And will drive us to recession.

But some things will get cheaper depending on what our trade partners place their tariffs on. And it looks like bourbon may be a double loser. The EU is talking about putting tariffs on bourbon thus driving down demand and price along with it. I was just in Europe last year and bourbon is hot there now.

Even more damaging to the US is that everyone is likely to put tariffs on corn, which is one of the largest cost in bourbon. That will reduce the cost of making bourbon and as they try to sell more domesticity to make up for the loss of foreign markets. The will do that by lowering the price more.

So while the economy crashes around us at least we will have cheap bourbon.

[bigtime]

19. Not sure you can count on bourbon going down unfortunately

My business buys 100% US made structural steel for construction projects.

Some weeks back, when this tariff talk started really to heat up, I received letters from the domestic steel mills acknowledging that they would not be impacted directly by any foreign tariff, but that they would view imposition of a tariff as an opportunity to jack up prices.

If there is a 25% tariff imposed, we should expect domestically sourced steel to increase by 25% as well. There will be negative impacts on commercial and industrial construction, manufacturing, and all other sectors utilizing steel.

Unfortunately, I believe the distilled spirits industry will at least attempt to increase prices and realize a windfall like the steel industry should the tariff be implemented.

[GulfCoast66]

20. I understand that argument, but do not agree.

I have friends in the bourbon industry and while they make a shit ton of money, they have really ramped up production to meet the foreign market which has finally realized that American Bourbon is superior to that shitty Scottish stuff

If that market is cut off or even reduced there will be a glut of Bourbon in the US.

Hopefully we will never know and the budding trade war will not take place.

Cause we are back in 1929 if that happens.

Have a nice evening. And a bourbon if it suits you!

[Javaman]

10. and away we go!

next up: homeless call their new homes in the depressed economy, "trump-huts".

[Dawson Leery]

16. The trade war has started.

With that said, there are far better products than Harley's.

[RKP5637]

27. Gee, tRump is such a business genius. Must have been tops at Ignoramus U. n/t

[roamer65]

28. Trade wars, currency wars....world war.

To borrow a phrase from Gerald Celente.

[RKP5637]

29. Yep! n/t