U.S. Slashes Proposed Tariffs on Italian Pasta Imports

Italian pasta is set to be spared from steep US tariffs that the Trump administration had threatened to impose on 13 producers.

Tariffs are taxes paid by importers on goods brought into a country.

The move could have resulted in US importers being taxed at a rate higher than the value of the pasta itself, with prices rising sharply for American consumers, BBC News reported.

Italy’s foreign ministry recently said the proposed tariff rate had been drastically reduced.

In a separate statement, the United States said the 13 firms had addressed many of its concerns.

Washington had previously accused the companies of selling their products at unfairly low prices and had threatened tariffs of nearly 92%.

Tariffs are taxes paid by importers on goods brought into a country.

Since returning to the White House last year, US President Donald Trump has rolled out a wide-ranging tariff program, though some measures have since been softened.

The president has said the policy aims to address trade practices he views as harmful to the US and to boost American manufacturing. Economists, however, have repeatedly warned that such moves can raise consumer prices and worsen cost-of-living pressures.