Donald Trump decided to ease measures for two industries: pasta and furniture. The Italian side noted that the U.S. significantly reduced previously proposed tariffs, which could have reached 90% for some pasta manufacturers.
Initially, Washington accused companies La Molisana and Garofalo of dumping, which could have led to a sharp increase in tariffs. Italy exports about 19% of its pasta products to the U.S., which prompted active negotiations with American authorities.
Additionally, the U.S. president postponed the implementation of increased tariffs on furniture until January 2027, maintaining the current rate of 25% on certain softwood products, kitchen cabinets, and dressers, although an increase to 30-50% was initially planned.
The White House stated that the United States continues productive negotiations with partners on trade and security issues regarding the import of wooden products.
At the end of last year, 10% tariffs were also imposed on the import of wood and softwood lumber. The upcoming tariff increase, which was set to take effect this week, would have significantly impacted supplies from Vietnam and China, and was occurring against the backdrop of rising consumer prices.
Soon, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to consider the legality of certain tariffs. This litigation began after a lawsuit from businessmen who claim that the tariffs are illegal and harm their companies. Earlier, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that this issue is being considered in the context of national security.
The increased tariffs are part of trade disputes with China and the protectionist policies of the Trump administration, including the imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods and products from other countries, as well as the elimination of the duty-free threshold for packages.
