01-28-2006, 10:01 PM
GrosseschnauzerJan 28 2006, 10:16 AM My primary concern would be that nations should be able to impose tariffs if they are imposed equally on domestic and imported products, without favoritism. [/quote]
First to answer Ceorana's question: similar means beer should be treated like other beer, wine like wine, whiskey like whiskey, vodka like vodka. Now if you claim two beers are different and use that to differentially tax (via a tariff) the import, you've just opened a door to allow other countries to: (1) protest because the products are similar, or (2) throw your logic right back at you.
Now to Grosseschnauzer's question according to this proposal a tariff is an *additional* tax placed on an import. Nations can still place equal taxes on any product. I originally had a clause making that more clear, but felt since nations can already place taxes on items, I didn't need to reaffirm that right. All the proposal is doing is saying that if you place a tariff, others can place the same tariff on your products.
First to answer Ceorana's question: similar means beer should be treated like other beer, wine like wine, whiskey like whiskey, vodka like vodka. Now if you claim two beers are different and use that to differentially tax (via a tariff) the import, you've just opened a door to allow other countries to: (1) protest because the products are similar, or (2) throw your logic right back at you.
Now to Grosseschnauzer's question according to this proposal a tariff is an *additional* tax placed on an import. Nations can still place equal taxes on any product. I originally had a clause making that more clear, but felt since nations can already place taxes on items, I didn't need to reaffirm that right. All the proposal is doing is saying that if you place a tariff, others can place the same tariff on your products.