That's what friends are for
The Association of Harley-Davidson Dealers would like to thank everyone who stood by the US motorcycle manufacturer during the trade dispute between the US and the EU.
(Frankfurt, 25.11.2021) They have the longest-standing democracy in the world - and they are home to Harley-Davidson: the United States of America. Democracy means that rule comes from the people. And in addition to regular elections, there are plenty of ways to do this, including signing petitions on web platforms such as Change.org against things you find unjust.
Far more than 13,000 people made use of this option when the EU was involved in the trade conflict with the United States more punitive tariffs against the manufacturer Harley-Davidson, which was actually uninvolved. A total of 56 percent customs duty would have threatened the existence of around 300 authorized dealers and their approx. 5,000 employees in the EU and led to fewer and more expensive Harleys in Europe.
The US motorcycle manufacturer and its European fans can now breathe a sigh of relief, as the issue is off the table. The EU and the USA have reached an agreement and settled their trade dispute. From January 2022 Harley-Davidson will again - like other manufacturers - pay six percent customs duty on every motorcycle.
„We would like to thank all those who signed our petition on Change.org and joined us in fearing that competition in Europe could be so blatantly distorted,“ says Matthias Meier, CEO of the German-Austrian and European association of the Harley-Davidson authorized dealer. And he adds: „What would Harley-Davidson be without its loyal fans and customers who always stand by their brand, even in tough times?“
However, in the comments on Change.org, in addition to the loyal fan community, there are also countless signatories who simply found the whole thing massively unfair: People signed because they thought the processes were irresponsible and purely arbitrary, they read, for example. „Today Harley, and who will be next tomorrow?“ asked another signatory.
„That's why we would like to thank not only the international Harley community, but all friends of free trade – regardless of which brand they prefer and whether they ride motorcycles at all,“ adds Meier. „On both sides of the Atlantic, Harley-Davidson dealers are now looking forward to the 2022 season and fair competition among motorcycle manufacturers.“
Text & image credits: Sassenbach/Harley-Davidson Association
