Brussels / Paris, 08/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European offer of an intervention by Washington to relieve American steel producers demonstrates a "misunderstanding as to the nature" of the problem, said grant Aldonas, American Under Secretary of State for Trade, in response to the safeguard strategy proposed by the Union in view of fending off the threat of a blockage to outlets on the other side of the Atlantic (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.10). At the end of the high-level OECD meeting on steel, Mr. Aldonas considered that, although "constructive" in tone, the European plan did not go far enough. The levies suggested would only ease a few firms, as all are not confronted with the "legacy costs" linked to the payment of pensions, and would "not even solve half of the problem", which is not specific to the American industry but global, that is an excess of non-profitable capacities, is what he said in substance. Whence the United States will ensure "that this burden is also evenly distributed", he added. Aldonas did, however, consider that the new undertakings (reduction in its capacities, ranging from 103 to 117.5 tonnes, and subsidies), although still disappointing, would be reflected in the decision that President Bush should take on 6 March to protect the American industry against "unfair" competition exercised by imports.