The US Trade Representative said it will drop the 10% tariffs on Canadian non-alloyed, unwrought aluminum, retroactive to September 1. The tariffs were reimposed in August due to a surge in import earlier this year. But USTR expects the volume to normalize back to 70k to 83k tons a month for the rest of the year, after consultation with Canada.
Canadian also dropped the threat to retaliate after the US move. Trade Minister Mary Ng emphasized “Canada has not conceded anything. We fully retain our right to impose our countermeasures if the U.S. administration decides to reimpose its tariffs on Canadian aluminum products, and we are prepared to do so.” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland also insisted: “This is not a negotiated deal … we have not negotiated an agreement with the United States on quotas”.
Separately, USTR blasted WTO’s ruling against US tariffs on Chinese goods. Robert Lighthizer criticized in a statement the WTO “provides no remedy” for China’s “harmful technology practices.” ‘”The United States must be allowed to defend itself against unfair trade practices, and the Trump Administration will not let China use the WTO to take advantage of American workers, businesses, farmers, and ranchers,” he added.
