The United States has imposed additional conditions on steel imports from Mexico and Brazil due to the impact on steel trades caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Monday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st August, 2020) The United States has imposed additional conditions on steel imports from Mexico and Brazil due to the impact on steel trades caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Monday.
"Today, the United States announces additional measures to address steel imports with two key trading partners - Mexico and Brazil," Lighthizer said in a statement, adding that the objective was "to engage cooperatively with trading partners while acting responsibly to protect industries vital to our national security."
Mexico will establish a strict export monitoring regime for three steel products - standard pipe, mechanical tubing and semi-finished products - and closely monitor shipments for these through June 1, 2021 following a surge in US demand for them, the statement said.
In Brazil's case, the United States has deemed it necessary to reduce the remaining quota for Brazilian semi-finished steel products for the remainder of 2020 to 60,000 metric tons, from 350,000, the statement said.
But existing US import quotas on other Brazilian steel products will be maintained and consultations will be held with Brazil on the semi-finished steel quota for 2021 by December, during which time market conditions would have hopefully improved, the statement added.
