Canada Moves To Help Steel, Aluminum Industries
On Dec. 19, Canada’s Department of Finance announced the country will provide targeted tariff relief on more steel and aluminum imports from the United States. Specifically, according to S&P Global Platts, the government will:
- Waive the surtax on certain steel and aluminum products that were imported under contracts that existed before May 31, 2018;
- Provide relief also for certain steel and aluminum products determined to be in situations of temporary or ongoing short supply; and
- Grant relief on imports of steel from other countries that were in transit before October 25, 2018.
In a statement, the Department of Finance said, “The government recognizes that Canadian countermeasures against U.S. imports can create challenges for Canadian manufacturers, in particular for those that rely on U.S. steel and aluminum imports … such as energy, advanced manufacturing, construction, and automotive parts, among others.”
Also before the holiday, as American Metal Market (AMM, subscription required) reported, Canada’s International Trade Tribunal (CITT) made a final determination that imports of cold-rolled coil from China, South Korea, and Vietnam have injured Canada’s domestic steel industry. As a result, Chinese exporters will pay duties of 91.9 percent while South Korean and Vietnamese exporters will pay 53 percent and 99.2 percent, respectively.
Canadian imports of organic- and metallic-coated steel and automotive or aeronautic applications are exempt from the duties, CITT said.