Second round evaluations result in 295 new exclusions

Second round evaluations result in 295 new exclusions

In view of the information submitted by the US steel consumers, US steel producers and foreign steel producers, the US Department of Commerce (DOC) and the US Trade Representative Office (USTR) announced new exclusions of 295 steel products from the steel safeguard remedies. It is emphasized that the excluded products are determined not to be supplied in adequate availability from the US producers. Hence these exclusions will not blunt the effect of the safeguard measures on steel products. Many of the exclusions are granted to small volume niche products and 208 of the requests received no objections from the domestic steel industry. It is reported that there will be another opportunity to request further exclusions later this year, for consideration by March 2004. The process will be initiated in November 2003. Furthermore, the steel safeguard remedies are automatically adjusted by March 20, 2003 to the lower tariff levels and higher tariff-rate quotas as originally scheduled by the safeguard requirements. The remedy will be further adjusted again in March 2004. Please click here to see the full list of product exclusions granted by the USTR.