Industryweek 28598 Steel 0

US to Shield Europe, Australia, Brazil from Steel Tariffs

March 22, 2018
President Trump has decided to “pause the imposition of the tariffs with respect to those countries,” but it's unclear whether it's a permanent exemption.

The U.S. will shield a list of allies including Europe, Australia, South Korea, Argentina and Brazil from steel and aluminum tariffs that take effect on March 23 Friday, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said.

President Donald Trump has decided to “pause the imposition of the tariffs with respect to those countries,” Lighthizer told the Senate Finance Committee on March 22..

“We have the two NAFTA countries. We have Europe, Australia, we have Argentina, we have Brazil, and obviously Korea.”

It was unclear from his remarks to the committee whether the U.S. had offered these countries as a permanent exemption or if they wouldn’t have to pay the tariffs while negotiating a solution. Lighthizer said on March 21 that the U.S. wanted to wrap up the discussion with countries over exemptions by the end of April.

Trump announced earlier this month he was imposing a 25% tariff on imported steel and 10% on aluminum but exempted Canada and Mexico as long as they agreed to an updated North American Free Trade Agreement.

He also left the door open for allies to negotiate their own exemptions, sparking a furious lobbying effort by trading partners like the European Union, which is threatening retaliation if it’s hit by the duties.

By Shelly Hagan

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

How to Build Zero-Cost On-Site Solar and Storage Projects

Nov. 25, 2023
The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits, incentives, and financing that enable no-cost projects. In Enel’s eBook, discover the critical role that incentives play in your...

Beat the odds. Optimize product costs. Mitigate supply chain issues.

Sept. 12, 2023
Leverage fact-based supplier negotiations. Enhance design. Get to market faster. Our comprehensive Should Cost Analysis guide shows you how.

How Digital Twin Technology is Empowering Manufacturers

Sept. 27, 2023
This FAQ delves into why this technology offers business value and considerations toward implementation.

Discover How an Eye Tracking Study Improves Training Procedures

Oct. 29, 2023
Did you know that your training processes can be streamlined by visualizing and analyzing key skills within your employee base? Find out how we use eye tracking to capture advanced...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!