US producers ask for S201 to cover further 31 countries
A group of US steel producers submitted their request this week to the Bush administration, to include Mexico, India, Egypt and 28 developing countries in the S201 safeguard measures implemented to protect the steel industry. This group of US companies claims that imports from these countries having been excluded from the safeguard measures, are increased at high levels into the US. Mexico is excluded from the safeguard measures due to its participation in NAFTA Agreement with the US and Canada. Furthermore a total of 30 countries are excluded due their developing country status. The total 31 countries that are requested to be included in the S201 tariffs are namely Mexico, India, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, Venezuela, Romania, Thailand, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Poland, Argentina, Chile, Hungary, El Salvador, Morocco, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Honduras, Dominica, Antigua, Tunisia, Haiti, Philippines, Peru, Panama, Lithuania and Latvia. Such request by the US steel producers creates confusion when the Bush administration's intention to grant further exclusions nowadays, are considered.