Section 232 Statutory Deadlines for Steel

We asked trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz what impact there would be on the Section 232 investigation and timing for decisions based on the comments made by President Trump of a delay in the process. Here is what Leibowitz told us earlier today:

On Tuesday, July 25, President Trump revealed that he will indefinitely postpone a decision on imposing steel import relief based on national security considerations. The Commerce Department initiated an investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, in April.  The Commerce phase of the investigation was originally to be finished by the end of June, but delays multiplied. The G20 meetings during the week of July 10 brought forth vigorous opposition from our main allies and trading partners, who vowed immediate and vigorous retaliation if import limits were imposed on their steel industries. Steel-using manufacturers, importers, traders and ports argued that the harm from import restrictions would be greater than any possible benefit to steel producers, perhaps rendering large segments of the U.S. manufacturing economy uncompetitive. Several agencies within the federal government also argued against import restrictions because of concerns over harm to the domestic economy and foreign policy concerns.