US-Canada Trade Negotiations Collapse as Trump's New Tariffs Take Effect

Trade negotiations between the United States and Canada have broken down, foreign media outlets including AP and AFP reported on the 21st (local time).

According to AFP, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer announced the breakdown of talks, stating that "Canada has refused to finalize a trade agreement under the terms agreed upon earlier this week."

Last month, President Trump warned that he would impose a 50 percent tariff on Canadian imports, claiming that Canada engages in trade discrimination in the automotive, alcohol, and dairy industries.

Both sides had been engaged in marathon negotiations ahead of the tariff deadline previously scheduled for the 19th.

While Canada demanded a delay in the tariffs along with the withdrawal of existing tariffs on automobiles and steel, the U.S. countered by demanding an end to a boycott of American alcoholic beverages underway in some Canadian provinces.

After a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, U.S. President Donald Trump stated on the 18th that he would temporarily suspend the implementation of tariffs and continue negotiations, but the two sides ultimately failed to narrow their differences.

Consequently, the 50 percent tariffs on certain Canadian imports have taken effect, AFP reported.

In particular, Prime Minister Carney criticized the U.S. after the collapse of negotiations, stating that "the U.S. changed the terms it proposed at the last minute" and vowing a "dollar-for-dollar" retaliation against the U.S. tariff measures, leaving open the possibility of a reignited trade war between the two nations.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.