Trump Trade War - China initiates WTO dispute complaint against US tariffs on steel, aluminium
Steel News - Published on Wed, 11 Apr 2018
China has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States concerning certain US duties imposed on imports of steel and aluminium products. The request was circulated to WTO members on 10 April. China claims the duties of 25% and 10% on imports of steel and aluminium products respectively are inconsistent with provisions of the WTO's General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and of the Agreement on Safeguards. The duties have been adopted through a number of legal instruments, including pursuant to Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act. The request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the WTO. Consultations give the parties an opportunity to discuss the matter and to find a satisfactory solution without proceeding further with litigation. After 60 days, if consultations have failed to resolve the dispute, the complainant may request adjudication by a panel.
Measures at Issue
The United States imposed 25 percent and 10 percent of additional import duty respectively on certain steel products and aluminum products, from all countries except Canada, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, South Korea, Brazil and the European Union, which took effect from 23 March 2018. It is indicated that the president of the United States would consider further adjustments to the additional import duties, alternative means, or implementation of quota.
The measures at issue in this request include, but not limited to:
Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States, including the Annex, To Modify Chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (Presidential Proclamation 9705, issued on 8 March 2018)1
Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States, including the Annex, To Modify Chapter 99 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (Presidential Proclamation 9704, issued on 8 March 2018)2
Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United States (Presidential Proclamation 9711, issued on 22 March 2018)
Adjusting Imports of Aluminum into the United States (Presidential Proclamation 9710, issued on 22 March 2018)
Requirements for Submissions Requesting Exclusions From the Remedies Instituted in Presidential Proclamations Adjusting Imports of Steel Into the United States and Adjusting Imports of Aluminum Into the United States; and the Filing of Objections to Submitted
Exclusion Requests for Steel and Aluminum (U.S. Department of Commerce)
Section 232 Tariffs on Aluminum and Steel, Additional Duty on Imports of Steel and Aluminum Articles under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. §1862), cited in the Presidential Proclamations above for vesting authorities in the President of the United States to take the actions therein
The Effect of Imports of Steel On the National Security, An Investigation Conducted Under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, As Amended (U.S. Department of Commerce, 11 January 2018)
The Effect of Imports of Aluminum On the National Security, An Investigation Conducted Under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, As Amended (U.S. Department of Commerce, 17 January 2018)
Source : Strategic Research Institute