UK firms still pushing hard for tariff exemptions

UK firms still pushing hard for tariff exemptions

Insiders report that seven steel producers in the UK, including Corus, are making their bid for exemptions on Section 201 tariffs imposed by the Bush administration in March. The UK's Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt told the press she is hopeful that the Bush administration will give a positive reponse to the requests. U.S. officials plan to exempt products that its domestic industry doesn't produce, sources report. Meanwhile, the UK government indicated that the seven steelmakers do a have a firm case for exemptions. The deadline for submitting requests on product exclusions has passed. For now, the UK is stuck in the ’wait and see' mode, though, as recent as April, Hewitt commented to the press that she felt confident that exemptions would be made for the UK.