The World Trade Organization (WTO) has announced that the European Union (EU) has requested consultations with the United States to exchange views and seek clarification regarding the Section 232 measures on steel and aluminum imports and reaching an understanding on ways to achieve the objectives set out in the WTO’s agreement on safeguards. The EU suggests holding the consultations as soon as possible, according to the WTO.
The WTO stated that the US failed to notify the WTO Committee on Safeguards on taking a decision to apply safeguard measures and added that, although the US characterizes these measures as security measures, the Section 232 tariffs are in essence safeguard measures.
On March 8, the US adopted safeguard measures in the form of a tariff increase on imports of certain steel and aluminum products, effective from March 23 and with an unlimited duration. On March 22, the effective date of the tariff increase with respect to the EU was deferred to May 1.