Trade Cases
February 18, 2018
Section 232 Report Elicits Emotional Response
Written by Tim Triplett
The Commerce Department has found that unfair imports of steel products do indeed pose a threat to U.S. national security, and in a press conference on Friday revealed the remedies it has recommended to President Trump. The announcement of possible tariffs and quotas drew strong reactions from the marketplace.
The Commerce recommendations include three options designed to raise domestic steel production above 80 percent of capacity: a global tariff of at least 24 percent on all steel imports; a targeted tariff of 53 percent on all steel imports from 12 high-export countries, along with a quota that limits all countries to their 2017 export levels; or a quota on all steel products from all countries equal to 63 percent of their 2017 exports to the U.S. The president has until April 11 to choose one of these options, offer a modified plan or take no action at all.
