To help bolster American soda ash exports, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi and Representative Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., led a letter with other members of the Senate and House emphasizing the importance of eliminating a European Union (EU) tariff on soda ash under a transatlantic trade agreement currently under negotiation.
In advance of the 12th round of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) negotiations, the letter made clear to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman that failure to secure immediate elimination of the EU’s 5.5 percent duty on soda ash would not be an acceptable outcome.
“This tariff barrier reduces the competitiveness of U.S. soda ash and also harms European industrial consumers, especially Europe’s sizable glass industry, which stands to benefit from better access to competitively-priced, high quality U.S. soda ash,” the letter said.
Along with being the most environmentally-friendly in the world, U.S. soda ash exports, valued at over $1.2 billion annually, directly contribute to thousands of high-paying U.S. jobs and are extremely important to local economies across the country.
Other members of the letter included Senators John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Representatives Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Mimi Walters, R-Calif., Paul Cook, R-Calif., Jim Himes, D-Conn., Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., Randy Weber, R-Texas, Kevin Yoder, R-Kan., David Valadao, R-Calif., Steve Knight, R-Calif., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
Click here for a copy of the letter.
