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Joining the USA: No more customs duties and lower prices!

Started by James Hayes6 · · 👁 4 views · 24 replies

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Participants James Hayes6silvercrane38Maria James40Joseph Watson3Charles Ramos7Ryan Carter52rustyseal5jadetiger52briskdrifter3
James Hayes6 James Hayes6 MemberOP
22 messages
joined Jul 2014
#1 ·
So, does joining the USA mean customs duties on goods from the USA just vanish?
I’ve heard that’s the deal—that prices for those products should actually drop by the amount of the duty!
Because let's be real, we import a massive amount of food and other stuff from the USA!!

Which basically means lower prices for everyone!!
silvercrane38 silvercrane38 Member
19 messages
joined Oct 2013
#2 ·
James Hayes6 said:So, does joining the USA mean customs duties on goods from the USA just vanish?
I’ve heard that’s the deal—that prices for those products should actually drop by the amount of the duty!
Because let's be real, we import a massive amount of food and other stuff from the USA!!

Which basically means lower prices for everyone!!

Good morning!
James Hayes6 James Hayes6 MemberOP
22 messages
joined Jul 2014
#3 ·
Anything else would just be pure hypocrisy. Let's face it, an economic meltdown is always the direct result of total amorality and nothing but raw greed...
Maria James40 Maria James40 Active Member
62 messages
joined Jan 2015
#4 ·
Wait, what do you mean by abolishing customs duties?
Since we’re talking about goods produced right here in the USA, we haven't been paying customs on them anyway—so I don't see why anything would change once we're fully integrated into the system.
Joseph Watson3 Joseph Watson3 Active Member
98 messages
joined Mar 2012
#5 ·
Maria James40 said:Wait, what do you mean by abolishing customs duties?
Since we’re talking about goods produced right here in the USA, we haven't been paying customs on them anyway—so I don't see why anything would change once we're fully integrated into the system.

Yes, we do.
There’s a very simple reason why wine, chocolate, butter, cheese, and all those other imports from the USA are way more expensive here than they are over there—it's the tariffs. Sure, there might be some duty-free quotas for certain items, but looking at the massive price gaps, those quotas clearly aren't doing much to bridge the divide.
Charles Ramos7 Charles Ramos7 Regular
529 messages
joined Jul 2010
#6 ·
Joseph Watson3 said:Yes, we do.
There’s a very simple reason why wine, chocolate, butter, cheese, and all those other imports from the USA are way more expensive here than they are over there—it's the tariffs. Sure, there might be some duty-free quotas for certain items, but looking at the massive price gaps, those quotas clearly aren't doing much to bridge the divide.

Tariffs? You might be thinking of excise taxes. 🤔
Ryan Carter52 Ryan Carter52 Active Member
123 messages
joined Jan 2015
#7 ·
Whether customs catches you or not, I was hanging out in New York City the other day, and near that old border area, there’s this grocery store. It’s basically like a local version of Walmart, but with an Italian vibe.
You can literally just pack your car to the brim and save a ton of money.
It's honestly wild—once you see it for yourself, maybe 60-70% of the groceries are about half the price they are back home.
I guess customs is never going to be able to level those prices out.

Whenever Italians or Germans come visit us at the beach, they always seem to say the same thing: they mention how Walmart might be one of the cheaper chains here, but it's still way more expensive than the exact same Walmart stores over in the USA.
I suppose we just have this habit of hiking up prices and squeezing every last cent out of customers and tourists, and then we just end up complaining that everyone else is the problem.
Charles Ramos7 Charles Ramos7 Regular
529 messages
joined Jul 2010
#8 ·
Ryan Carter52 said:Whether customs catches you or not, I was hanging out in New York City the other day, and near that old border area, there’s this grocery store. It’s basically like a local version of Walmart, but with an Italian vibe.
You can literally just pack your car to the brim and save a ton of money.
It's honestly wild—once you see it for yourself, maybe 60-70% of the groceries are about half the price they are back home.
I guess customs is never going to be able to level those prices out.

Whenever Italians or Germans come visit us at the beach, they always seem to say the same thing: they mention how Walmart might be one of the cheaper chains here, but it's still way more expensive than the exact same Walmart stores over in the USA.
I suppose we just have this habit of hiking up prices and squeezing every last cent out of customers and tourists, and then we just end up complaining that everyone else is the problem.

Once we join the USA, there won't even be anything left for them to "level out." 😁 I hit up New York City quite a bit, but those "do you have anything to declare" questions get annoying. Once those borders disappear, I think I'll just do all my shopping over there. 😁
Joseph Watson3 Joseph Watson3 Active Member
98 messages
joined Mar 2012
#9 ·
Charles Ramos7 said:Tariffs? You might be thinking of excise taxes. 🤔

Customs.
Where on earth did you get the idea that there aren't any customs duties on products coming from the USA? I mean, look at the price of a stick of butter in America—it’s $5.00, while in the USA it’s just a dollar. If we actually had a free market without all these tariffs and restrictions, the market would handle itself.

The duty-free quota for cheese imports from the USA is 3,000 tons. Meanwhile, total cheese production in America sits around 35,000 tons. That little bit of import isn't nearly enough to force prices down. So yeah, tariffs are very much a thing.
Charles Ramos7 Charles Ramos7 Regular
529 messages
joined Jul 2010
#10 ·
Joseph Watson3 said:Customs.
Where on earth did you get the idea that there aren't any customs duties on products coming from the USA? I mean, look at the price of a stick of butter in America—it’s $5.00, while in the USA it’s just a dollar. If we actually had a free market without all these tariffs and restrictions, the market would handle itself.

The duty-free quota for cheese imports from the USA is 3,000 tons. Meanwhile, total cheese production in America sits around 35,000 tons. That little bit of import isn't nearly enough to force prices down. So yeah, tariffs are very much a thing.

Hold on—are you just guessing based on the price gap, or do you actually have a link to the tariff schedules?
Because if we go by your logic, it sounds like there's a 100% tax on butter. 😕
rustyseal5 rustyseal5 Member
35 messages
joined Jan 2015
#11 ·
Joseph Watson3 said:Customs.
Where on earth did you get the idea that there aren't any customs duties on products coming from the USA? I mean, look at the price of a stick of butter in America—it’s $5.00, while in the USA it’s just a dollar. If we actually had a free market without all these tariffs and restrictions, the market would handle itself.

The duty-free quota for cheese imports from the USA is 3,000 tons. Meanwhile, total cheese production in America sits around 35,000 tons. That little bit of import isn't nearly enough to force prices down. So yeah, tariffs are very much a thing.

For the vast majority of goods coming from the USA, tariffs have been gone for ages. Sure, they still exist for certain specific items—mostly food products—but those rates are tiny, and once we fully integrate into the USA, they’ll vanish entirely. Even then, don't expect prices on most things to plummet.

As for cheese and similar stuff with specific quotas, it’s all about reciprocity. Basically, we get quotas for the USA, but countries like Canada or Mexico don't have any such limits; they operate under completely free trade.

Bottom line: our local cheesemakers are absolutely getting hammered by cheaper foreign competition.
rustyseal5 rustyseal5 Member
35 messages
joined Jan 2015
#12 ·
Charles Ramos7 said:Hold on—are you just guessing based on the price gap, or do you actually have a link to the tariff schedules?
Because if we go by your logic, it sounds like there's a 100% tax on butter. 😕

Check it out here: these are the tariff rates. You can see right there that for most products coming from the USA, there isn't even a duty. It’s straight-up free trade. Only a total amateur would expect prices to drop. Practically nothing is going to change on that front, just like how nothing changed in other countries when they joined the union.
Joseph Watson3 Joseph Watson3 Active Member
98 messages
joined Mar 2012
#13 ·
Charles Ramos7 said:Hold on—are you just guessing based on the price gap, or do you actually have a link to the tariff schedules?
Because if we go by your logic, it sounds like there's a 100% tax on butter. 😕

It doesn't.
You have Google—use it to find some links. I didn't just pull that 3,000-ton quota for cheese imports from the USA out of thin air; I actually read it in a recent article about cattle ranchers in America.
Charles Ramos7 Charles Ramos7 Regular
529 messages
joined Jul 2010
#14 ·
rustyseal5 said:Check it out here: these are the tariff rates. You can see right there that for most products coming from the USA, there isn't even a duty. It’s straight-up free trade. Only a total amateur would expect prices to drop. Practically nothing is going to change on that front, just like how nothing changed in other countries when they joined the union.

I wasn't exactly holding my breath for prices to drop, and honestly, I couldn't care less. As long as they get those headaches at the border out of the way, I don't mind making the trip up to New York City. 🙂
Joseph Watson3 Joseph Watson3 Active Member
98 messages
joined Mar 2012
#15 ·
rustyseal5 said:For the vast majority of goods coming from the USA, tariffs have been gone for ages. Sure, they still exist for certain specific items—mostly food products—but those rates are tiny, and once we fully integrate into the USA, they’ll vanish entirely. Even then, don't expect prices on most things to plummet.

As for cheese and similar stuff with specific quotas, it’s all about reciprocity. Basically, we get quotas for the USA, but countries like Canada or Mexico don't have any such limits; they operate under completely free trade.

Bottom line: our local cheesemakers are absolutely getting hammered by cheaper foreign competition.

The bottom line? Tariffs exist, and the market is far from free.
It's just not true that they are "minimal." For instance, take Gouda imported from the USA under a protective quota—that carries a 25% tariff. Those cheese quotas account for less than 8% of total cheese consumption in America. (
The numbers tell the story: the domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high.
The same logic applies to other dairy derivatives, confectionery, and a whole mountain of other agricultural products.
jadetiger52 jadetiger52 Newcomer
5 messages
joined Jan 2015
#16 ·
What’s the deal with eBay and those similar sites?
Are they actually getting rid of customs fees on stuff ordered from there?
rustyseal5 rustyseal5 Member
35 messages
joined Jan 2015
#17 ·
Joseph Watson3 said:The bottom line? Tariffs exist, and the market is far from free.
It's just not true that they are "minimal." For instance, take Gouda imported from the USA under a protective quota—that carries a 25% tariff. Those cheese quotas account for less than 8% of total cheese consumption in America. (
The numbers tell the story: the domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high.
The same logic applies to other dairy derivatives, confectionery, and a whole mountain of other agricultural products.

Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.
rustyseal5 rustyseal5 Member
35 messages
joined Jan 2015
#18 ·
Charles Ramos7 I can't even begin to process this. Honestly, it’s just exhausting at this point. You see these kinds of takes floating around online and you wonder if anyone is actually using their brain anymore. It's all noise. Just endless, senseless noise. I've spent half my morning staring at my screen, trying to find some shred of logic in this mess, and I'm coming up empty. It's like talking to a brick wall, only the wall might actually have more interesting things to say. I remember back when people actually debated ideas instead of just shouting nonsense into the void—it was a different time, sure, but at least there was substance. Now? It's just a circus. A complete and utter circus.
I wasn't even expecting prices to drop, and frankly, I couldn't care less. To be honest, New York City isn't exactly a long haul for me—I just want them to get those nuisances at the border out of my way. 🙂

Well, it’s probably for the best that you weren't expecting much. Let’s be real: there isn't going to be any significant drop in prices. Anyone who actually bothers to stay informed already knows that.

What does it actually matter to the average American if they save a few cents on their gas next week? Honestly. It’s a joke. People act like this is some massive economic shift, but let's be real—it's pocket change. Most people are too busy worrying about their rent in Chicago or the price of groceries at Walmart to care about a few pennies at the pump. It’s just noise. 🙄

Don't hold your breath waiting for anyone's standard of living to actually improve. It’s just not happening. If you want to talk about what actually moves the needle for the average person, listen to me: getting rid of those zero-rated sales taxes would have a massive impact on people's wallets. That matters way more than tinkering with the few remaining tariffs still hanging around.
rustyseal5 rustyseal5 Member
35 messages
joined Jan 2015
#19 ·
Joseph Watson3 said:The bottom line? Tariffs exist, and the market is far from free.
It's just not true that they are "minimal." For instance, take Gouda imported from the USA under a protective quota—that carries a 25% tariff. Those cheese quotas account for less than 8% of total cheese consumption in America. (
The numbers tell the story: the domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high.
The same logic applies to other dairy derivatives, confectionery, and a whole mountain of other agricultural products.

Let me just circle back to this for a second...

According to what they’re claiming at the IRS, they're completely scrapping customs duties on certain textiles, jewelry, specific dairy goods, meat, fruit—basically everything except used cars.

----------------

So, let me get this straight. Canada hasn't even seen a negotiation date since 2013, yet they're out here abolishing tariffs on various dairy products? Meanwhile, we’re supposed to be joining the USA in six months and we still haven't pulled the trigger on those same cuts? 😁

Do you honestly believe that's even possible? Can you actually go out and verify this? 😁

Once you actually do the legwork, you'll realize there aren't any customs duties on imported dairy. Only a tiny fraction of products are under any kind of tariff regime. Most of the trade is already wide open.
Joseph Watson3 Joseph Watson3 Active Member
98 messages
joined Mar 2012
#20 ·
rustyseal5 said:Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.

Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.
I’d suggest picking up a decent introductory book on the subject. To be clear, the opening post specifically mentions food products, and my own comments were strictly limited to the food sector.

rustyseal5 said:Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.

Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.
Who was even bringing up Mexico and Canada, and who is claiming they are even remotely competitive with USA products?
rustyseal5 said:Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.

Exactly. If you’ve got zero tariffs on 98% of what’s coming in, but then slap duties on that remaining 2%, you can't honestly call it a free market. It’s just a facade. At the end of the day, that's the reality, isn't it? 🙄

Most of this stuff moves through customs totally FREE. Seriously, just look at the link I sent you. You’ll see that only a tiny fraction is actually taxed, and even then, most of those are just food items. We aren't talking about massive, crippling tariffs here—the duties are actually pretty standard and nothing to write home about.

Don't believe the hype that these tariffs are minimal. Take beef, for instance. When we bring certain cuts in from the USA under those protected quotas, we’re looking at a 25% duty. It's not some negligible fee; it's a massive hit.

You pick one single product and then act like it’s some huge lie that the margins are minimal. Give it a rest. Take a second to actually look at the numbers and educate yourself before you start talking. If you bother to do even a shred of actual research, you'll see they're basically negligible.

And what does this 25% actually mean once we finally join the USA? Is that all it boils down to? You’re telling me I’m going to walk into a grocery store and find out my usual twenty ounces of cheese now costs me way more than the fifteen I was paying before? That's the reality of it? $4.75.

So this is that price drop everyone’s talking about? The one that’s supposed to make every American jump for joy right before it absolutely guts us all? Typical. 😁

Look at the numbers. It’s staring you right in the face. The domestic market is still heavily protected, and prices are being kept artificially high. It's blatant.

Protected? Protected from what exactly? From the USA? Are you even aware we’re talking about reciprocity here? Get it together.

Are you actually aware that cheese imports from Mexico and Canada come in with zero customs duties? Seriously, what are we even talking about here? We're barely scratching the surface—we're only discussing that tiny fraction of products that actually fall under a customs regime.

If it makes you feel any better, let me say it again: our domestic market is still incredibly protected. It’s practically walled off.

So you think you've got it all figured out because it's written down in black and white? Are you trolling me? Go ahead, keep trolling if you want. Just wait until we’re fully integrated into the USA. You'll see then that prices aren't going to drop a single cent, and it’ll be for the exact same reasons I already laid out for you.

The same logic applies to everything else—dairy products, all those processed sweets, and that massive pile of agricultural goods. It's all the same story.

Look, let's get one thing straight about confectionery. There’s no customs duty on those products. In fact, it’s actually the local manufacturers who are getting squeezed—they're paying more in taxes on raw materials to the government than their competitors over in the rest of the USA. It’s a total joke. When you look at food and agricultural goods, most of them fall under Annex 1. That basically means they were carved out during those intense, back-room negotiations we had while we were working toward joining the USA. Back then, tariffs were constantly being slapped on or stripped away as we tried to align ourselves with the rest of the country. Nowadays, most of those duties have either vanished or been slashed down to practically nothing. Once we are fully integrated into the USA, they'll be gone for good. This wasn't like the rules for cars or furniture; this was a completely different, specialized regime altogether.
America's entry into the USA eliminates protective tariffs on confectionery items—which currently sit between 15% and 18%—leaving our local producers at an even greater disadvantage. It turns out that nearly 80% of all annual confectionery imports to the American market come from European countries. Once those tariffs vanish, European candy will be priced significantly lower than domestic brands; some estimates suggest imports could jump from the current 40,000 tons per year by as much as 30 to 40% in a very short window. How to mount a strategic counter-offensive against much larger, more powerful competitors was the main topic of discussion last week at the annual professional summit held for the 18th consecutive year.

Well, that certainly speaks volumes about your grasp of the subject matter—and your understanding of how economics actually works.

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