Publishers in the U.K., Germany, and the U.S. have been in a state of panic since early Thursday following various news reports (including one in PW Daily) that the Trump Administration tariffs set to be imposed on $7.5 billion of products from the European Union on October 18 include books published in the U.K. and Germany.
That determination was based on the reading of a U.S. Trade Representative update of items covered in the forthcoming tariffs that listed "printed books, brochures, leaflets, and similar printed matter in single sheets, whether or not folded" falling under the new 25% tariffs. However, as Ray Ambriano of Meadows Wye & Co., an international logistics company specializing in the publishing industry, explained, that USTR classification does not pertain to bound books. "Bound books are not subject to these new tariffs," Ambriano said, pointing out that bound books are in another USTR classification. The important point about printed material that is covered is that they are available as single sheets.
PW has taken down our original report. We regret the error.
