Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/22

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Subject: [Leica] 100% Customs Duty on Leica?
From: "Bill Christensen" <kangwei@interaccess.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1998 12:21:31 -0600

Holiday Greetings!

The grinch who stole Christmas - and possibly our Leicas - may reside in
Washington.  This morning, the newspaper reported that the Clinton
administration may invoke Section 301 of the U.S. trade law due to a dispute
over banana imports.  The threatened punitive action would impose 100%
tariffs on hundreds of millions of dollars in European imports.  Simply put,
the price would double.  If imposed, the sanctions will be implemented by
either Feb 2 or March 3.  It is not known if this will affect our beloved
Leicas.

I suspect that the Clinton administration is attempting to strong arm Europe
with the threat.  If the sanctions were adopted, the EU would file a case
before the World Trade Organization challenging the validity of Section 301.
I doubt the U.S. would ever impose such a drastic tariff on European goods.
It would touch off a major trade war.

Perhaps American Luggers can use this as an excuse with their significant
other to acquire that new lens or body sooner rather than later.  Christmas
is on Friday after all.

Bill Christensen