The United States is urging trade partners to submit their final offers by Wednesday, June 4, as it prepares to implement a sharp increase in tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
The Biden administration aims to finalize multiple trade agreements ahead of the new tariffs, though so far, only one deal—a $6 billion agreement with the United Kingdom reached on May 8—has been completed. Several other negotiations are reported to be in the final stages.
Effective Wednesday, the U.S. will raise Section 232 tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports from 25 percent to 50 percent, significantly escalating pressure on global suppliers and trading partners.
The decision has already drawn strong international criticism, particularly from key allies and steel industry leaders.
In Canada, Catherine Cobden, President and CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA), warned of massive disruptions to cross-border supply chains:
"These tariffs will have negative consequences across highly integrated steel markets and customers on both sides of the border. Canada must respond immediately by reinstating retaliatory tariffs and blocking unfairly traded steel imports," Cobden stated.
In Germany, Kerstin Maria Rippel, Managing Director of the German Steel Federation (WV Stahl), called the move a new escalation in the transatlantic trade dispute:
"A 50 percent tariff is a massive burden for the European steel industry. Suppliers who previously sold to the U.S. are likely to redirect exports to the EU, amplifying already intense import pressures on the region."
Rippel urged the European Commission to maintain a careful balance between strong trade protection measures and diplomatic engagement to safeguard the continent’s steel industry.
As the deadline approaches, global markets are bracing for potential trade realignments and retaliatory measures that could reshape international steel and aluminum flows.
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