Arabic version: فشل محادثات التجارة بين الولايات المتحدة وكندا مع دخول رسوم جمركية جديدة حيز التنفيذ

According to Cnbc, the United States and Canada failed to reach a trade agreement on Friday, and the U.S. imposed 50% tariffs on some Canadian products on Saturday. The measures affect roughly $20 billion in Canadian exports, including wine, furniture, dairy products, cement, clothing, fishing rods and hockey equipment.

Negotiators had worked on an agreement throughout the week and at times indicated that a deal was close. President Donald Trump postponed the original Wednesday deadline hours before it was due to take effect, saying a deal was nearing completion. Canada’s trade minister for the U.S., Dominic LeBlanc, said Thursday that a deal was “very close.”

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Canada declined to finalize a deal under terms agreed earlier in the week. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said last-minute changes in the U.S. proposal were unfair and uneconomic, and questioned the reliability of any agreement. At a Saturday press conference in Ottawa, Carney said the U.S. had “asked too much and offered too little.”

Canada will begin retaliatory tariffs on Sept. 8, Carney said. The duties will target sectors including steel, dairy, agricultural equipment, and pulp and paper, with further details expected in coming days. Carney had previously said Canada’s response would be “dollar for dollar.” Greer said Saturday that no new talks with Canada were planned.

The additional U.S. tariffs were authorized through three proclamations signed in July under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The administration cited trade discrimination against U.S. products and industries, including motor vehicles, alcohol and dairy. The provision allows tariffs of up to 50% on goods from countries found to discriminate against the U.S. and had not been used since 1949.