Huh? It's disingenuous to look at only one one side of the equation. The US imposes its own share of tariffs and non-tariff trade barriers. Some of which (mainly for certain agricultural products) are high enough to all but eliminate imports of them altogether. Peanuts, raw tobacco, and sugar are examples of American industries that have benefited from aggressive protectionist policies for decades.
Existing trade agreements have recognized this; it's not something that the EU has unilaterally imposed in recent years. The average EU tariff on American goods is under 3 percent.[0] More importantly, the average tariff--for both the EU and the rest of the world--have been steadily declining.[1] That was the trend. The administration's recent trade policy upends that trend for no real purpose.
If the goal is to see tariffs lowered and barriers removed--one that I heartily support--you don't undertake a policy that will spur the opposite. You sit down at the negotiating table like adults and hammer out a trade deal. Which is a lot harder than it sounds, because every tariff of your own that you can use as leverage in the deal has its own domestic supporters. Many of whom are politically well-connected. It's not surprising then, that the administration chose to pursue a simpler (albeit inherently flawed) approach.
Existing trade agreements have recognized this; it's not something that the EU has unilaterally imposed in recent years. The average EU tariff on American goods is under 3 percent.[0] More importantly, the average tariff--for both the EU and the rest of the world--have been steadily declining.[1] That was the trend. The administration's recent trade policy upends that trend for no real purpose.
If the goal is to see tariffs lowered and barriers removed--one that I heartily support--you don't undertake a policy that will spur the opposite. You sit down at the negotiating table like adults and hammer out a trade deal. Which is a lot harder than it sounds, because every tariff of your own that you can use as leverage in the deal has its own domestic supporters. Many of whom are politically well-connected. It's not surprising then, that the administration chose to pursue a simpler (albeit inherently flawed) approach.
0. https://www.export.gov/article?id=European-union-Import-Tari...
1. http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/07/news/economy/trump-tariffs-t...