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Elsewhere on the Web
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• NMMA
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E.U.
to Fee You
The European Union
(E.U.) is poised to retaliate to the Bush administration’s new tariffs
on imported steel by placing its own new tariffs on imports—and
recreational boats from the United States could be on the list.
According
to the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), the E.U. aims
to establish new tariffs if and when the Word Trade Organization decides
on the U.S. steel tariff case, a ruling that is expected next year. If
no ruling is made, the E.U. could impose the tariffs in March 2005 on
many American-made powerboats, sailboats, RIBs, canoes, and dinghies.
Industry
experts say the proposed tariff—which could tack on as much as 30
percent to an American boat’s sales price—would deal a severe
blow to an already slowed-down U.S. boat market abroad. “The overvalued
dollar has already created a 30 percent price disadvantage for U.S. manufacturers,
costing up to 50 percent of their European market share in the past two
years alone,” says Arlene Baxter, NMMA’s director of industry
and international programs.
Moreover,
the new tariffs would likely boomerang on Europe. The United States has
already said it may retaliate on an E.U. tariff by enacting its own tariffs
on similar imports, if the E.U. imposes the proposed tax.
“E.U.
countries sell more boats to the U.S. than vice versa, so a trade war
would be bad for boat manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic,”
Baxter says.
The
NMMA, which predicts widespread job losses and damage to local and federal
economies if the tariffs are enacted, is petitioning members of the E.U.
as well as the U.S. Congress to forego the plans.
For
more information, log on to www.nmma.org
and click on the “Making Waves” button.
ON
SHELVES The Rebel Raiders
For those fascinated
by the Civil War, great maritime battles, or just any exciting naval narrative,
The Rebel Raiders: The Astonishing History of the Confederacy’s
Secret Navy is a worthwhile investment. In his newest book, naval historian
James Tertius deKay brings to life the CSS Alabama, a Confederate gunship
that triggered the last great military campaign of the Civil War. This
little-known piece of history and its impact on one of the biggest events
in our nation’s history are woven into a high-action tale of nautical
cunning, international espionage, and human heroism. The book tracks an
amazing cast of characters, ranging from the English aristocracy to the
rogue soldiers of the South, through the clandestine creation of the Confederate
navy and its last great attempt to beat the Union. The Rebel Raiders is
a perfect blend of history, action, and suspense.
$26, hardcover.
Ballantine Books
August
2-4. The Fall Boat Show in Jacksonville, Florida. (904) 724-3003
2-4. The Hot Summer Boat Show in Orlando, Florida. (407) 298-1167
14-18. The Seattle Boat Show at Shilshole Bay Marina. (206) 634-0911
22-25. The In-Water Boat Show in Michigan City, Indiana. (440)
899-5009
24-25. The
Boston Antique & Classic Boat Festival in Salem, Massachusetts. (617)
666-8530.
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