Interia works with leading editorial offices around the world. In our weekly, Friday series “Interia closer to the world” we publish the most interesting texts of the most important foreign newspapers. The British “The Economist”, from which the following article comes from, has been published continuously since 1843 and is one of the most popular magazines in the world devoted to political and business. It has the opinion of one of the more influential press titles in the world. From the very beginning, the weekly invariably sticks to the liberal course.
Editorial footnote: The original text “The Economist” was released on April 5. Four days later Donald Trump He suspended duties for 90 days for all countries except China. The article commented on earlier decisions and the manner of making them.
Announced by Donald Trump On April 2, new duties caused an avalanche of mockery, which was the reason defective calculations. Each deficit in trade Double -sided was treated as a gross injustice, and the height of the duties was established, taking part as a meter imported goods from a given country and reducing this number by half.
There are other quirks, from the fact that duties were to be applied to places with the name internet domainafter the fact that they were determined based on data from only one year. However, the most bright proof of the absurdity of new fees is the lack of logic and consequences. Here's ours List of five crazy American duties.
USA. The absurdities of Donald Trump's customs policy
Before April 2 Saint-Pierre I Miquelon (located in the Atlantic Ocean, the overseas community of France, covering the archipelago of the same name – ed.) was probably associated mainly as a relic of the French presence in North America. Currently, he has a doubtful honor of being the recipient of the highest duties, announced by Trump in “Day of liberation“. As in the case of Lesotho They amount to 50 percent
(Read about the next decisions of Donald Trump about duties on the website Interia business)
It is more than twice as much as the rate applied to European Union and five times more than the one, chosen towards some other overseas territories France. In July – the only month in the last two years, when the islands traded at all with America – goods with a total value of $ 3.4 million (over PLN 13 million – ed.) exported to it, without importing almost anything. Looking back – it was a bad move.
Customs changes also affected Switzerland. Everything indicates, however, that to compare imports and exports Trump administration She used data from only one year (2024). At the end of the year, Switzerland exported to America a larger amount than usual goldenincreasing the same commercial surplus (When the value of exports is greater than imports – ed.). In this way, she earned a duty of 32 percent. for all goods. If the data from 2022 were used, this “mutual” rate would be 19 percent.
Who did Trump touched? Experts point to one detail
One of the reasons for customs obsession Short there is a desire to increase domestic production. Botswana He must face 38 percent today. dutybecause it has a commercial surplus with America – which largely reflects its export diamonds. In America, diamond deposits are rare, so no commercial one is currently working there mine. Similarly with vanillawhich is not grown in Trump's homeland. This is one of the main export goods Madagascarwhich was burdened tariff in the amount of 47 percent
Inhabitants of some areas take such news better than others (or simply ignore it). It's about WYSPY HEARD i McDonaldaon which 10 percent were applied fees. As many as four species will be in this Australian territory penguins and 29 species of mammals – but there are no people. Therefore, a small amount of trade with America that has been recorded seems to be administrative error.
The very fact that these islands are on the list White House as a separate entity – instead of receiving the same duty as Australia – may be due to the fact that they have a name internet domain (.hm). According to some speculations, American tariff table It corresponds to internet domains of the highest level (Internet domain, above which there are no other domains in the DNS system – ed.), And not real countries.
Russia, Belarus and North Korea without duties. The White House explains
At the same time, a few lucky people managed to get out of a accurate canonade unscathed. Belarus, For, North Korea i Russia They were not on the black Trump list. As the White House claims, sanctions They prevent “significant trade” with the last of these countries.
In 2024, however, they did not stop Moscow before exporting to America goods with a total value of $ 3 billion (almost PLN 12 billion – ed.) – according to data from the office of the US trade representative. It's about six times more than export Botswany.
Last year Russia She also had a commercial surplus with America in the amount – not a trifle – $ 2.5 billion (almost PLN 10 billion – ed.). If the mechanism was applied to it, Vladimir Putin He would have to face about 40 percent today. tariff.
Tekst przetłumaczony z “The Economist”© The Economist Newspaper Limited, London, 2025
Translation: Nina Nowakowska
Title, centitules, lead and abbreviations come from the editorial office