Japan: US import monitoring program should be consistent with WTO
A spokesman for the Japanese steel industy stated that an expansion of the current US import monitoring and licensing system could be helpful to US and foreign governments and steel industries by providing information on the status of the US market. However they also warned that the US should not consider any monitoring system that does not conform to WTO rules or one that creates a trade restrictive program.
As a result of the tariffs President Bush imposed on certain steel products over two years ago, certain imports were required to be monitored. Despite the President's repeal of the tariffs late in 2003, the monitoring program for those products remains in place. Furthermore, since the tariffs were repealed, the
US steel industry has been pushing for legislation to expand the original program to cover all steel products.
However, Japanese steel producers are urging the U.S. steel industry to use its time and energies to work toward improving the supply of competitive products to its American customers rather than seeking government assistance to make it more difficult for these same customers to choose the best quality products.