Government/Policy
November 12, 2021
Written by Michael Cowden
The U.S. and Japan have officially begun talks that could lead to an easing of Section 232 tariffs on Japanese steel and aluminum exports.
Those negotiations are part of a broader bilateral discussion on ways to reduce excess steel- and aluminum-making capacity globally, most of which the U.S. says is driven by China.
In 2015, finished steel imports were 29% of apparent domestic consumption of steel, as estimated by AISI. In 2025, the import share had fallen to 18%. Steel lobbyists think that is progress, but the reality is more complex.
Several steel trade organizations have called on President Trump to resist weakening Section 232 steel tariffs.
The US Commerce Department has raised the anti-dumping duties (AD) on imports of oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from South Korea.
After an annual administrative review, the Commerce Department increased the anti-dumping duties on large-diameter welded pipe from Turkey.
The US Department of Commerce has preliminarily determined that critical circumstances exist in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of imports of large-diameter graphite electrodes (LDGEs) from China.