Boeing denied bid for tariffs on Canadian jets

MONTREAL — The U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday struck down a Commerce Department recommendation that the United States place steep duties on imported Canadian jets, bringing an end to a trade dispute that has stoked tensions between normally close allies.

The case was brought by Boeing, which accused the Canadian jet maker Bombardier of subsidizing its products and selling them at unfairly low prices in the United States in violation of U.S. trade rules.

As is its usual practice, the commission did not explain the factors behind its decision.

The dispute flared amid wrangling over the Trump administration’s plan to rework the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement.

The trade commission’s decision seemed likely to ease that strain.

Commerce had decided that duties of nearly 300 percent should be placed on Bombardier’s new CSeries aircraft.

But the trade commission disagreed.

Bombardier described the decisionas “a victory for innovation, competition, and the ruleof law.”

Boeing said it was disappointed and continued to experience “the effects of those unfair business practices in themarket every day.”

Canadian officials had feared the worst from the ruling, which capped a busy week of trade skirmishes between the United States and Canada.

On Monday, the Trump administration moved to place tariffs on imported solar cells and panels, ensnaring both Canada and Mexico.

On Tuesday, Canada and 10 other nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership announced that they would move forward with the trade pact, which the United States withdrew from after President Donald Trump took office.