US producers keep pushing to include developing countries in S201 measures

US producers keep pushing to include developing countries in S201 measures

US steel producing mills continue to put pressure on authorities to include the imports from developing countries in the scope of S201 sanctions. They have already filed their requests in this respect several times, claiming that total of steel product imports effected from these countries amount to a serious portion of the total quantity being imported into the US. The safeguard measures, implemented in March 2002 by the Bush administration exclude imports coming from these countries as long as they do not exceed the 3% threshold individually based on the WTO rules and regulations. There is a total of 30 countries excluded due to their developing country status namely 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. Furthermore, Mexico is also excluded from these hefty sanctions due to its NAFTA agreement with the US and Canada. According to the claims by the US producers, the imports from developing country origins effected within the first quarter of this year amount to a 28% of total imports, a situation taken as undermining the effectiveness of the protection measures.