“The joy of making music is a universal human gift… Musical products should be exempt from tariffs”: NAMM president John Mlynczak releases updated statement on Trump tariff changes
John Mlynczak, CEO of NAMM, has released another statement as the White House is implementing further changes to tariffs on goods entering the US from China.
Ever since US president Donald Trump began imposing these higher global tariffs early into his second presidency, Mlynczak has been firmly outspoken on the matter, and has called for musical products to be exempt from such charges. Earlier this month, he travelled with a group of guitar industry leaders to Washington in an attempt to mitigate the impact of these tariffs on manufacturers.
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Following new communication from the White House, it is reported that the US is lowering its “reciprocal” tariffs from 145 percent to 30 percent for a 90-day window, while China’s retaliatory tariffs on US goods will drop to 10 percent from 125 percent – as per the BBC.
New tariffs on small packages worth up to $800 have also been cut from 120 percent to 54 percent, though a flat per-parcel fee will remain at $100, and a $200 charge which was due to apply from 1 June has been cancelled.
In Mlynczak’s statement, shared to the NAMM website, he says, “The de-escalation of tariffs on products imported from China is a welcomed relief for our industry, as the previous 145-percent additional tariff was unsustainable, especially for small businesses.
“However, the 30-percent tariff on imports from China as well as the 10-percent tariff on imports from all other countries will continue to impact both manufacturers and retailers preparing for high-demand back-to-school and holiday seasons later this year.”
He also states that the 90-day pause on the retaliatory tariffs is helpful for immediate planning, but “remaining uncertainty makes mid-term and long-term planning difficult for businesses”: “We support fair trade and would welcome a robust, long-term tariff strategy that provides clarity and stability for our industry to adapt and evolve as needed,” he says.
Mlynczak further recognises that manufacturing in the US is “very strong” across the musical products industry, and states that NAMM will “continue to advocate for US-manufacturers who rely on imported materials that are not available in the US”, while also ensuring “iconic Made in America brands can continue to compete in the United States and globally”.
“NAMM maintains the position that the joy of making music is a universal human gift and does not present any national security risks, and therefore musical products should be exempt from tariffs. We will continue to champion this message through any available avenue,” he concludes.
Although the 90-day window for these cuts is a welcome change for manufacturers, the BBC also says that Trump has told reporters that, as some of the levies have been suspended rather than cancelled altogether, they may rise again in three months’ time. He also said he does not expect them to return to the previous 145 percent peak.
You can read the full statement via the official NAMM website.
The post “The joy of making music is a universal human gift… Musical products should be exempt from tariffs”: NAMM president John Mlynczak releases updated statement on Trump tariff changes appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
