Canada initiates WTO complaint regarding U.S. steel, aluminum tariffs

GENEVA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- The World Trade Organization (WTO) said Thursday that Canada has requested WTO dispute consultations with the United States regarding the tariffs imposed by the U.S. on certain steel and aluminum products from Canada.

Canada claims that the measures, which terminate Canada's exemption from additional tariffs on certain steel and aluminum products and increase tariffs on aluminum articles, are inconsistent with U.S. obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, the WTO said in a statement.

On Feb. 10, U.S. President Donald Trump signed proclamations to raise tariffs on aluminum from 10 percent to 25 percent, aligning them with the existing tariff rate for steel. He also decided to eliminate duty-free quotas, exemptions, and exclusions for steel and aluminum tariffs. These measures were set to take effect on March 12.

On March 11, Trump announced a plan to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent in response to tariffs on electricity exports from the Canadian province of Ontario. But the plan was reversed later that day after Ontario dropped the electricity export tariffs affecting three U.S. states. ■