World Trade Organization dispute panel has ruled against Turkey regarding a complaint by the US on some additional duties imposed by Turkey in June 2018 in retaliation for Section 232 measures on steel and aluminum imports.
Turkey imposed additional import duties on wide array of products ranging from nuts to automotive parts after the Trump administration introduced a 25 percent duty on steel imports and 10 percent duty on aluminum imports.
The panel report recommends that Turkey bring its WTO-inconsistent measure into conformity with its obligations.
Office of the US Trade Representative said that they are pleased with the WTO ruling, adding that “Turkey’s use of the WTO dispute settlement system to challenge the US Section 232 national security actions undermines the WTO. The WTO does not have the authority to second-guess a WTO Member’s response to threats to its security, and WTO reform must ensure that issues of national security cannot be reviewed in WTO dispute settlement”.
