Harley-Davidson’s Zeitz provides statement on E.U. tariffs

Responding to today’s announcement by E.U. Executive Vice-President, Valdis Dombrovskis, Harley-Davidson, Inc. reaffirms its commitment to defend its position in Europe. The company will continue to pursue its legal challenge to the Binding Origin Information (BOI) revocation, and its application for extended reliance.

Harley-Davidson remains committed to free and fair trade and is focused on remaining globally competitive in the interests of all its stakeholders, and is committed to ensuring its customers around the world have access to its products, the company said.

“We are encouraged by today’s announcement that tariffs affecting our products will not escalate from 31% to 56%,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “This is the first step in the right direction in a dispute not of our making. Harley-Davidson employees, dealers, stakeholders and motorcycles have no place in this trade war. These tariffs provide other motorcycle manufacturers with an unfair competitive advantage in the E.U. European motorcycles only pay up to 2.4% to be imported into the U.S. We want free and fair trade. UNITED WE RIDE.”

Here’s a report by the Associated Press from Brussels.

— Dave McMahon, editor, dmcmahon at powersportsbusiness.com