'This might be the biggest disaster of them all' - New York's Di Palo's braces for new tariffs
Record ID:
1435082
'This might be the biggest disaster of them all' - New York's Di Palo's braces for new tariffs
- Title: 'This might be the biggest disaster of them all' - New York's Di Palo's braces for new tariffs
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE STAFF CUTTING ITALIAN CHEESE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE OWNER, SALVATORE DI PALO, SAYING: "We went through many disasters, being in business for over 100 years. We went through a depression. We went to two world wars. We went through storms. This might be the biggest disaster of them all." VARIOUS OF DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE OWNER, SALVATORE DI PALO, SAYING: "Don't punish the innocent people. Punish the ones that you want to do you want to fight about. I know you want to get results, and the way of getting results is to cause a little disturbance, but don't hurt the little people that are working hard. Hurt the big companies that are causing this problem. Go after them. They're the ones." VARIOUS OF ITALIAN CHEESE AT DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE OWNER, SALVATORE DI PALO, SAYING: "For me, this is what I love to do. It's not about money. It's about an enjoyment that I love to do. I'm behind the counter 50 years, and I haven't worked a day in my life. But I worry for the next generation. Could they do this with the little profits that are being made? Bad enough you have the high rents, taxes that the city wants to put on you. This additional tax will hurt not only the storekeepers, it will hurt the public, because the prices are going to be more, and imports, and even in domestics, because the domestic products will go up. And it will hurt the cheese makers in Italy - and especially the small cheese makers, most original ones, and those you don't want to lose." VARIOUS OF DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE VARIOUS OF ITALIAN CHEESE AT DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE VARIOUS OF ITALIAN OLIVE OIL THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO MOST RECENT TARIFFS (SPANISH OLIVE OIL IS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) NORTH AMERICAN OLIVE OIL ASSOCIATION, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JOSEPH R. PROFACI, SAYING: "We've taken the position from the very beginning that any tariffs on olive oils is tantamount to a tax on our health. The announcement from the USTR yesterday was somewhat of a relief. It's less of an impact than we expected from the original proposal. But we have about, I think, something like 60,000 metric tons of olive oil now that will be subject to a tariff, 25% tariff, that seems just terribly unfair to the Spanish companies, and the importers, and consumers who enjoy that product." VARIOUS OF ITALIAN OLIVE OIL THAT IS NOT SUBJECT TO MOST RECENT TARIFFS VARIOUS OF ITALIAN WINE BOTTLES, WHICH IS NOT SUBJECT TO MOST RECENT TARIFFS, AT DI PALO FAMILY'S WINE STORE VARIOUS OF DI PALO'S FINE FOODS STORE EXTERIORS
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 21:19
- Keywords: French wine Italian cheese single-malt Scotch whisky Italian wine pasta olive oil European Union subsidies on large aircraft Italy
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZJO30N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Trump administration slapped 25% tariffs on French wine, Italian cheese and single-malt Scotch whisky - but spared Italian wine, pasta and olive oil - in retaliation for European Union subsidies on large aircraft.
The U.S. Trade Representative's Office released a list of hundreds of European products that will get new tariffs, including cookies, salami, butter and yogurt - but in many cases applied to only some EU countries, including German camera parts and blankets produced in the United Kingdom.
The list includes UK-made sweaters, pullovers, cashmere items and wool clothing, as well as olives from France and Spain, EU-produced pork sausage and other pork products other than ham, and German coffee. The new tariffs are to take effect as early as Oct. 18.
At Di Palo's Fine Food in New York's Little Italy, owner Salvatore Di Palo predicted the tariffs would spell doom.
"We went through many disasters, being in business for over 100 years. We went through a depression. We went to two world wars. We went through storms. This might be the biggest disaster of them all," he said.
Di Palo said the tariffs would exacerbate an already difficult climate for business owners who contend with high rents and taxes.
"I know you want to get results, and the way of getting results is to cause a little disturbance," Di Palo said, "but don't hurt the little people that are working hard. Hurt the big companies that are causing this problem. Go after them."
The U.S. Trade Representative's Office said it would "continually re-evaluate these tariffs based on our discussions with the EU" and expects to enter talks in a bid to resolve the dispute.
Still some Italian foods - Parmesan Reggiano, Romano and provolone cheese - were hit with tariffs as were Italian fruits, clams and yogurt. Also getting new tariffs are German and British camera parts, industrial microwave ovens, printed books, sweet biscuits and waffles.
The main target of the U.S. tariffs is Airbus aircraft made in the EU, which face 10% levy that could hurt U.S. airlines such as Delta that have billions of dollars of Airbus orders waiting to be filled.
EU products winning reprieves include chocolate, Greek, French and Portuguese olive oil, helicopters, frozen fish, lobster, sparkling wine, stemware and tiles.
(Production: Aleksandra Michalska) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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