The EU will not apply automatic tariff increases on a range of US products on 1 June 2021, announced EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on Monday 17 May.
On 20 June 2018, the European Commission had published an implementing regulation that would apply tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on a range of US products (see EUROPE 12045/20). This was in response to tariffs that were imposed by the US in March 2018 on imports of some steel and aluminium products.
The 2018 regulation provided for two phases, with a second set of tariffs scheduled to come into force on 1 June 2021. The European Commission has now committed to suspending this second set of tariffs for a maximum period of six months.
“This decision affirms our determination to find effective joint solutions to this dispute which will end the tariffs imposed on the EU for reasons of national security, and to tackle global steel and aluminium excess capacity, and preserve our critical industries”, said Valdis Dombrovskis.
He also issued a joint statement with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and US Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo about starting the dialogue on resolving the dispute.
EU and US officials have also pledged to “partner to promote high standards, address shared concerns, and hold countries like China that support trade-distorting policies to account”.
Read the joint statement: https://bit.ly/2Qophbo (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)