US files complaint with WTO over EU tariffs on high-tech products

Yeah, so Sony's hitting us with magically-thin OLED TVs, Microsoft is showing off Windows 7, and Google's demoing hot new Android phones, but nothing gets us going like an old-fashioned tariff agreement dispute based on the classification of certain types of goods, you know? That's just good clean fun. It's also what's going down between the US and the EU -- our charming government has just filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization, alleging that the EU is mis-classifying multifunction printers, flat-panel computer displays, and cable boxes that fall under the 1996 Information Technology Agreement in order to collect tariffs on their imports. Essentially all these products should be duty-free, but the EU says their additional functions require the ITA be re-negotiated to cover them -- LCD displays can also be used with DVD players, for example, and so qualify as "video monitors," which are taxed. Sure, it's a totally semantic fight, but that's what trade representatives live for -- we hear this one's going to be bigger than the 2006 Canadian Softwood Lumber Import showdown.

[Via Physorg]

[Aguiluz @ May 28th 2008 7:15PM]

Yet a big speedtrap to lowering prices.

Abolish all taxes!

.......

[Matthew Hilario @ May 28th 2008 7:34PM]

but sir how can you tax me? it doesn't even play doom!

[David @ May 28th 2008 7:15PM]

ww3 anybody?

[Aguiluz @ May 28th 2008 7:16PM]

No thanks. I don't want to turned to radioactive dust.

How can I read Engadget then?

[David @ May 28th 2008 7:25PM]

you wouldn't care, you'd be in the great big engadget in the sky

god would be constantly trolling though, like
'YAWN, I ALREADY KNEW THAT< NEWS PLEASE!'
he wouldn't unlock caps for shit

[Aguiluz @ May 28th 2008 7:55PM]

Haha, awesome. :)

[mabhatter @ May 28th 2008 7:30PM]

this is a good time to press for these trade rules to be followed. For a short time, it's going to be cheaper to make things in the USA!!! This is a good way to beef up our economy as our dollar shrinks, we can start selling stuff again...

[Scott Culp @ May 28th 2008 7:31PM]

Formatting on the page today is totally F'ing up things in I.E.6!!

[z0phi3l @ May 28th 2008 7:33PM]

What kind of a dumbass still uses IE6?

[Matthew Hilario @ May 28th 2008 7:35PM]

you have to view pages maximized now..
-2 ninja points.

[Quikboy @ May 28th 2008 8:02PM]

I agree with z0phi3l, you should update to IE7 or Opera. Much more secure, and better than IE6. If it's a work computer, then tell your IT people to update to a different browser. IE6 is practically a virus portal.

[phanbouy @ May 28th 2008 8:07PM]

lol! i use teh Aol broswer!

[Scott Culp @ May 28th 2008 9:10PM]

What kind of a dumbass makes a comment like that??

Why the hell would I need I.E. 7? Now 8 (when it's ready) maybe or Firefox but splain to me what is so special about 7?

Thanks Matthew that fixed it.

[Tyson @ May 28th 2008 7:32PM]

Again the Euro are finding a way to cheat at free trade. BS

[r3loaded @ May 28th 2008 8:45PM]

The whole point of the EU is protectionism against non-members...

[Argot @ May 29th 2008 8:16AM]

@Tyson: Yeah, it's the american way....

[Tyson @ May 29th 2008 12:16PM]

except we do fine foreign companies exorbitant amount and change rules about tariffs when it becomes inconvenient and we want to make more money to subsidize our economy because we institute overly burdensome social programs.

[Matthew Hilario @ May 28th 2008 7:35PM]

you have to view pages maximized now..
-2 ninja points.

[Mark @ May 28th 2008 7:35PM]

I'm all for going to war with the European Union if they continue to be so flagrantly hostile to the United States.

We save them from Communism and poor trillions into their defense and economies only to have them cheat us at every turn in our trade dealings?

We already have bases in Europe, and if they don't bow to the demands of Justice, I think we should use them.

[The Grand Master @ May 28th 2008 7:40PM]

This is possibly the most hilarious comment I've ever read.

What with its hands full with the alleged 'war on terror' included in that the mess that is Iraq and the close to failed state Afghanistan the best thing that American could possibly do would fight a war against Europe.

I sincerely hope you were being sarcastic, nothing like advocating World War Three between the most powerful country in the world and all of the European Union.

Hilarious.

[David @ May 28th 2008 7:47PM]

We made you, if it wasn't for us you'd all be native americans hunting n shit, you ungrateful child.
Anyway you're just angry because you're in recession.

That said I am pro free trade. I am especially disappointed by our failure to reform the CAP, for instance.

[phanbouy @ May 28th 2008 7:47PM]

hey there marky mark, thanks for painting a nice example of why cretinous nationalists and apologists for state power and mass murder will hasten the apocalypse.

and all over...uh..tarrffs and stuff. i think you win the Internet Douche of the Day award

[Nicolas @ May 28th 2008 7:51PM]

Haha you're funny man.

Who is failing in Afghanistan? Whose Army is spread so thin they can't commit anywhere else and have to send in their national guards abroad? I am not Anti-US but when I such ignorant comments I have to retaliate, being an American myself.

Save Europe from Communism? OMG it's the COMMIES! We pour trillions into their defense and economies? You do realize the US is the country with the most international debt?

[Abuzar @ May 28th 2008 7:53PM]

Didn't America want to be independent from Britain BECAUSE of taxes and tarrifs.

So taxes are no small issue.

[Abuzar @ May 28th 2008 7:56PM]

Ok, I hate the War in Iraq and Afghanistan(especially because I'm Muslim), but honestly do you think that's a REAL war. You are talking about the most powerful country in the world. Do you realize how amazing the US Navy is? Against the EU, America would PROBABLY win. It would be horrible for the USA, but they would win.

[Chuckles @ May 28th 2008 7:59PM]

@ David
"We made you, if it wasn't for us you'd all be native americans hunting n shit"

funny, I didn't realize you were god, surely no one else can make Americans, but hopefully you realize most Americans are descendants of Europeans, and Europeans didn't build this country Americans did.

@Nicolas
"You do realize the US is the country with the most international debt?"
Yes, but many times the US has given money without ever expecting to be repaid -WW2 anyone or the Marshall plan?

[phanbouy @ May 28th 2008 7:57PM]

this comment is so ridiculous it's worth repeating this line "and if they don't bow to the demands of Justice"

who the fuck writes that? my god, you sound like David Cross impersonating John Ashcroft.

parents, please tell your kids not to steal other kids' lunch money. the victims will grow up to talk like Mark.

[Abuzar @ May 28th 2008 7:59PM]

Yeah seriously, it's almost as bad as spreading democracy by force.

[Ville Wilson @ May 28th 2008 8:29PM]

Aww, thank you Mark for saving us, poor Europeans from the clutches of evil communism. I didn't know you were the secret force which keeps us safe from all the evil in the world (and communism is surely evil, because it's dumb to share, it's much better to be an capitalistic asshole and sell your moral values for money to the highest bidder). I thought you were just a loser with no life in front of a computer, spending his time writing stupid comments on Engadget, but now it seems like I've misjudged you, since you seem to fight communism since the day you were born and Europe would surely be under Stalin's iron fist if it was not for you. Thank you Mark. Thank you very much.

(and yes, I'm a classical liberal socialist and I find both the ideas of extreme communism and extreme capitalism wrong, so when a capitalist claims to have saved me from communism, I don't think it would have been any better if communist claimed to have saved me from capitalism, I don't need neither the first nor the second. And I especially don't need to hear 13-year olds claiming to have saved me from capitalism, since even their fathers still went to college when that war was fought. My grand-grand-grand-grand father also saved an Iraqi from drowning 200 years ago and I don't go now around Iraqi sites claiming "You're being evil to us and you would have drowned if it wasn't for us". That's just ridiculous)

Anyway, back to the topic: Yes, the EU government is rigid, too large and too unefficient, and somebody should solve this stupidity, because we're paying every technical item almost 50% more than the folks in america (not just for american products, but even for the ones made in Japan), just because this unnecessary large bureaucratic body needs money for all those unnecessary employees. But then again, as we can see, every government has it's own problems, so both people from EU and USA should not criticize each others government but try to see errors in their own governing bodies.

[Mark @ May 28th 2008 8:42PM]

My comment was definitely satirical and meant to sound like something a George Bush supporter would say.

All in all I found it, and all the replies following, quite amusing.

[r3loaded @ May 28th 2008 8:50PM]

Mark, you need to enclose your comments with the tags. Many Engadget readers cannot understand the meaning of the words "sarcasm", "irony", "satire" and most of all, "humour".

[greg @ May 29th 2008 3:14AM]

yes Mark's comment was ridiculous. But the EU seriously needs to watch itself. Its going to start really pissing off the world it all its protectionism. It seems like every week I see the EU has filed suit against a non-EU company or is being reviewed by the WTO.

And before anyone goes into to my bias I'm an American who goes to school in Ireland...so don't go there.

[pundit @ May 29th 2008 3:29AM]

I hate to join into this little mess, but Chuckles, the US did and does expect to be repaid for both World Wars. Germany's war reparations were so high that they are a prime reason for Hitler assuming power and starting WWII.

After WWII, it was decreed that Germany could halt payments until reunification, but West Germany took it upon themselves to repay the principal by 1980, and started repaying the interest in 1995, after reunification. The debt will finally be paid off in 2010, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Not only did the US expect to be paid back for helping fight a war, but they caused a second war by their greed. In a way, you can almost blame WWII on American greed, though you'd be ignoring a few other strange circumstances.

[fanman @ May 29th 2008 6:00AM]

Before all jumping on the nationalist bandwagon, lets all learn HISTORIES!!11!!one!

In the beginning, there was Europe. Then Europe ran out of room, and spread to the rest of the world. The rest of the world having been built, America decided it wouldn't be European anymore.

In 1939, Europe started infighting. Britain stood alone against the fascists, and pretty much everyone under 22 was dead or fighting. But that was okay, because the US has sent over 240 flyboys who has been rejected from the USAF. Being desperate, the RAF trained these squadrons and gave them spitfires, which they promptly took back to the states after pearl harbor. Britain and the states then decided to help fight each others battles, with Australian forces proving of particular value in the pacific.

Where in that is there some hollywood star yelling "YEE-HAW!" and firing the shot that blows up the nazi death star and saving Europe single handedly?

[Tyson @ May 29th 2008 12:29PM]

@Nicolas except most of the troops in Afghanistan are europeans and except the fact that we actually care about the world enough to send troops to help its regardless instead of b!itching we are over committed because we are helping in one country. Also well put chuckle about the marshal plan, The EU need to get over itself, I can't wait for other countries to start treating the EU as it treats them, then the Euros will really be pissed because all their social programs will go away because they can't afford them. Notice how this is the 3rd sorry in less than a month of the EU being shady... they is a trend.

[phanbouy @ May 29th 2008 1:38PM]

that's right Tyson, we send our troops halfway around the world because we "care". Wow, your middle-schooler understanding of geopolitics really lubes my jollies

[Dr. Evil @ May 28th 2008 8:42PM]

It's good to know that fools exist on boths sides of the Atlantic.

[Dr. Evil @ May 28th 2008 8:45PM]

"...our charming government ..."

WTF? This is a trade dispute, not the Bush administration at work.

[John @ May 28th 2008 8:53PM]

I'm inclined to agree with the US on this one - if it falls under the sans-tax category, why does it matter if it's ARGUABLY in another? The spirit of the treaty was contrary to this, so if they don't like it, try to negotiate a new one.

[Nomex @ May 28th 2008 9:33PM]

Meanwhile the US completely disregards WTO rulings in regards to their illegal ban on online gambling. Go double standard!

[fourthletter @ May 28th 2008 9:48PM]

Oh dear God when will the bleating stop ?

Yes lets go to war to sort out TRADE, that makes sense.
I love all the Americans scared of the EU, and where does the UK come out in all this ? We are Americas biggest ally (in both Iraq and Afganistan, M16 helped set up the CIA etc.) and a member of the EU so what way does that go ?
Do Americans learn anything in school apart from creationism and how to spread democracy straight from the fridge ?

[Zoinks @ May 28th 2008 11:12PM]

If the fridge you're referring to happens to be lead lined and capable of surviving a nuclear blast...

Yes.

[alex @ May 29th 2008 12:09AM]

Who in the states exports LCD displays? Is Zenith still around?

[fanman @ May 29th 2008 2:20PM]

I think it's worth noting that LCD displays are a European invention.

[Goffochoco @ May 29th 2008 11:57AM]

What a pitty...

and what about these companies selling us (europeans) their stuff with a price where 1$ = 1€ ? They don't seem to complain about that.

[Skry @ May 29th 2008 6:01AM]

Am I the only one thinking the EU is right here? They made a trade agreement with the US and if an item does more then 1 thing, if they've agreed that some of those functions should be taxed, they should be taxed (though perhaps at a lower rate). Sounds to me like the USA is just trying to get around a trade agreement they themselves agreed to.

[jamie @ May 29th 2008 8:54AM]

At least the EU is making up excuses, the US just ignores things like Free Trade Agreements whenever it feels like it, ie. Canadian Softwood Lumber. Which it illegally taxes entering the States.

[Pete Murphy @ May 30th 2008 9:02AM]

Did you miss the fact that these aren't even American-made products? These high tech products are made in China and Malaysia and shipped directly to the EU under American brand names. By bringing this complaint against the EU to the WTO, the U.S. government is using taxpayer money to support the outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs to China.

Pete Murphy
Author, Five Short Blasts
www.OpenWindowPublishingCo.com

[gamefoo21 @ May 29th 2008 4:31PM]

Wait... So you mean like the softwood lumber disagreement...

The US lost at every last single trade court, and still screwed Canada(the companies, the people) out of billions, because they feel they don't have to comply with the ruling that their tariffs were indeed illegal, but instead undermined decades of negotiations, and toss a few million back while still pocketing billions.

Now look who is crying and hoping the international trade courts will back them up. Bunch of hypocrits, I do say.