France knows perfectly well that Coca-Cola sales in France are many hundreds or even thousands of times the value of French Roquefort sales in the USA.
If any such punitive tariff is imposed on Coca-Cola there, I hope Obama places a 200% tariff on all French goods sold here, with 500% on wines (including Champagne), cheeses and automobiles.
We can live without the French for a few years.
France is in the EU, which is a trading bloc, so the US can’t embargo goods from France without embargoing the entire EU. The EU is the world’s largest market, and frankly, considering the economic circumstances, neither the US or the EU can afford a pathetic tit-for-tat trade war at a time of increasing difficulties and rising unemployment. The politicians need to grow up.....
If you read the quote:
"Symbol versus symbol," said Philippe Folliot, a French member of parliament whose Tarn constituency contains many roquefort producers. "Since the United States has decided to surtax one of the most ancient (cheese) appellations, I think that the French government, with the European Union, must think about a heavy specific tax on imports of Coca-Cola concentrates produced in the US."
Coca-Cola produces it's European products IN EUROPE. So there isn't any 'import' to levy the tariff on.
:-)