Brussels, 12/07/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday the Bush Administration announced twenty three supplementary steel products that would be exempt from new excise duties on steel imposed by the US government in March. Pascal Lamy's new spokesperson, Arantza Gonzalez Laya indicated that the Commission warmly welcomed these new exemptions, for which it was now examining the scope and which, "was a step in the right direction". Ms Gonzalez, however, stressed that, "We do not think that these exemptions are sufficient". The new series of exemptions have been announced just as EU trade leaders are meeting up in Copenhagen on Friday to discuss the implementation of retaliatory measures proposed by the European Commission for August.