The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), has expressed “serious concern” about the latest trade deal between the EU and the US, pushed through by Donald Trump’s administration.
According to ACEM, the deal falls short in addressing the trade challenges faced by the European bike industry in the USA, leaving them to face the new general 15% tariff on products exported to the United States, as well as 50% tariffs on imports with steel content. ACEM also says that the punitive tariffs threaten European firms’ competitiveness, risking jobs throughout Europe – and the US. And the European body adds that the current arrangement introduces discriminatory treatment, undermining decades of successful transatlantic business.
Antonio Perlot, ACEM secretary general, said: “While we acknowledge the commission’s efforts, this Framework Agreement, as it stands, represents a deeply inadequate response to the challenges facing European industry. On top of the 15% tariff for general products, the newly introduced 50% tariffs on steel content render much of the agreement’s benefits meaningless for motorcycle manufacturers. We cannot accept a situation where European companies remain at a severe competitive disadvantage due to incomplete negotiations. The European motorcycle industry calls for a balanced, negotiated solution for transatlantic trade that restores fair competition and mutual market access.”