US Chamber Of Commerce Welcomes Washington's Decision To Lift Tariffs On Canadian Aluminum

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 16th September, 2020) The US Chamber of Commerce welcomed the US Trade Representative's (USTR) decision to lift tariffs on Canadian aluminum, Executive Vice President and Head of International Affairs Myron Brilliant said in a statement on Tuesday.

In its decision, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) stipulated that Canadian aluminum imports in the United States should be no more than 83,000 tons in September, 70,000 in October, 83,000 in November and 70,000 in December. The USTR noted that if Canadian imports exceed 105 percent of the expected volume for any month during the four-month period, then the 10 percent tariff may be re-imposed retroactively on all shipments made that month.

"The Chamber welcomes the news that the US will drop the damaging tariffs it recently re-imposed on aluminum from Canada. What American manufacturers need now is certainty that these tariffs won't make another reappearance. Setting aside these threats once and for all will allow American job creators to focus on economic recovery," Brilliant said.

Canadian lawmakers also welcomed the decision and decided to forgo retaliatory measures on US products.

The Trump administration imposed the 10 per cent tariff on raw aluminum from Canada on Aug. 16 under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act, which states the imports pose a threat to American national security, amid condemnation from aluminum organizations on both sides of the border.

Trump said that the tariff on aluminum imports was introduced after Canadian aluminum producers broke a commitment not to flood the United States with aluminum imports that was made by the Canadian government when the first round of tariffs were lifted.

Canada had threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs on nearly $2.7 billion in US aluminum products within 30 days of the introduction of the tariffs if the Trump administration did not reconsider its stance.