NAFTA negotiations are about to get even more contentious with a proposal by the Trump administration to increase U.S. domestic content in autos to 50 percent. The administration also proposes increasing the NAFTA regional content requirement to 85 percent from the current 62.5 percent, said sources to Inside U.S. Trade. The administration is facing tough […]
U.S. Steel’s Section 337 petition took another blow this week when Administrative Law Judge Dee Lord terminated the trans-shipment claim that accused China of misrepresenting country of origin on steel imports. Lord had dismissed the claim in January, citing lack of evidence by U.S. Steel to support its allegations. The claim was remanded to Lord […]
The American Institute for International Steel, representing 120 companies supporting 1.2 million jobs in the steel-using sectors and 84,000 direct and indirect jobs in the marine transportation system, wrote to the president this week requesting termination of the Section 232 investigation on steel imports. AIIS said they appreciate that a significant part of the rationale […]
The third round of NAFTA discussions ended Wednesday with consensus on small and medium enterprises. The chapter on small and medium-size enterprises will enhance “their ability to participate in and benefit from the opportunities created by this agreement, including through cooperative activities, information sharing, and the establishment of a NAFTA Trilateral SME Dialogue, involving the […]
President Trump lifted the shipping restrictions on Puerto Rico on Thursday, at least temporarily waiving the Jones Act that prohibits non-U.S. flagged vessels from delivering shipments between two U.S. ports. With the decision, relief supplies can be brought from the mainland to devastated Puerto Rico by foreign-owned vessels. The waiver is limited to 10 days. […]
U.S. content in NAFTA automobiles is shrinking and contributing to the trade deficit America has with Canada and Mexico, according to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. In an editorial for the Washington Post, Ross cites a new study analyzing data from 1995 to 2011 that indicates U.S.-produced content in manufactured goods imported from Canada fell […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced its affirmative preliminary determinations in the countervailing duty investigations of imports of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from China and India. Commerce determined exporters of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from China and India received countervailable subsidies of 33.31 to 35.69 percent, and 3.04 percent and 8.09 percent, respectively. Commerce will instruct U.S. […]
The U.S. International Trade Commission has decided not to revoke existing antidumping duties on imports of carbon and alloy seamless standard, line and pressure pipe from Japan and Romania. To do so, said the ITC, would “likely lead to continuation or recurrence of material injury within a reasonably foreseeable time.” Following the five-year sunset review, […]
The United Steelworkers union is calling for the United States to negotiate stronger NAFTA rules of origin. The union charges that the rules negotiated more than 25 years ago do not reflect current economic reality and sourcing patterns. Increased imported content from China and other nations has been detrimental to U.S. production in North America, […]
“Dangerous, unintended consequences” could result from the Section 232 national security investigation of steel imports, said members of a panel hosted by the American Institute for International Steel, which represents foreign steel producers. “Our objective today is twofold,” said John Foster, AIIS chairman and president of Kurt Orban Partners, in his opening remarks, “First, to […]
Over the weekend, we received a message from trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz regarding the status of the Vietnam circumvention suit. This is the one where the domestic steel mills filed a circumvention suit alleging China is circumventing the duties on cold rolled and CORE (corrosion resistant) steels by sending substrate to Vietnam and having it […]
The U.S. Commerce Department today announced an affirmative preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigation on exports of metal tool chests and cabinets from China. Commerce calculated preliminary subsidy rates ranging from 17.32 percent to 32.07 percent. U.S. imports of tool chests and cabinets from China were valued at an estimated $989.9 million in 2016, […]
Representatives from the U.S. auto and steel industries are working on a joint proposal to address changes in the rules of origin for steel used in vehicle production. The Trump administration and domestic steelmakers would like to close “loopholes” that allow foreign steel producers to take advantage of NAFTA rules. Currently, automobile content must be […]
G-20 members are on track to hold their first official meeting of the Global Steel Forum on Excess Steel Capacity this fall. The forum was formed last year during the 2016 meetings to find “collective solutions” to remedy steel overcapacity and discourage protectionism. The group met informally at the Summit in Hamburg in July 2017. […]
Solar manufacturers are hoping for a positive determination in a Section 201 trade case that claims U.S. manufacturers are harmed by global overcapacity and the import of cheap solar modules from China. They are now getting support from the steel industry in the form of a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission from the […]
Steel Market Update asked four panelists at the 2018 Steel Summit to define free and fair trade and offer some solutions to what most in the industry consider unfairly traded steel imports. Philip Bell, president of the Steel Manufacturers Association representing North American EAF steel producers, said there are five components of free and fair […]
The manufacturing panel during the SMU Steel Summit Conference last week in Atlanta featured a lively exchange between Barry Zekelman (CEO, Zekelman Industries) and Dan Pearson (Cato Institute). Mr. Zekelman’s comments appeared in the Aug. 31, 2017, issue of Steel Market Update. Mr. Pearson, the former chairman of the International Trade Commission, read our article […]
Round two of NAFTA negotiations wound up today, with no resolution in sight. Among the many issues being debated, the topic of rules-of-origin is proving to be contentious for Canadian and Mexican negotiators, as well as auto producers. U.S. negotiators are proposing that U.S. content in NAFTA-eligible vehicles be raised to between 35-50 percent, according […]
The Commerce Department has extended the deadline for determinations in the anti-circumvention investigation of corrosion-resistant steel from China to Feb. 15, 2018. On Nov. 14, 2016, the anti-circumvention case was initiated on CORE steel products from the People’s Republic of China in response to a request from steel companies ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor, U.S. Steel, AK […]
Rules of origin for automobiles continue to confound NAFTA negotiators. Currently, 62.5 percent of an automobile must be made in North America to qualify for duty-free status within the NAFTA region. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer wants to push that percentage higher to reduce content coming from Europe and Asia. However, Lighthizer’s obsession with reducing the […]
U.S. Steel’s Section 337 allegations of trans-shipment of Chinese steel products are being challenged by seven Chinese steel mills. U.S. Steel alleges that respondents in the case are misrepresenting country of origin in steel shipments in order to elude antidumping and countervailing duties. Baosteel Group, HeSteel Group, Masteel Group, Shougang Steel Group, Shagang Steel Group, […]
The United States and Canadian leaders of the United Steelworkers released a joint statement on Wednesday advocating NAFTA rules-of-origin, strong labor and environmental rights. United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard and Canadian National Director Ken Neumann urge strengthening regional rules-of-origin for autos, auto parts and manufactured products, including requirements for melting and pouring steel […]
Trade actions are moving ahead in the Section 337 case against Chinese steel producers. Sanctions have been placed on two of seven Chinese respondents by Administrative Law Judge Dee Lord for failure to produce documentation necessary to investigate transshipment charges brought by U.S. Steel. On June 28, 2017, U.S. Steel filed a motion for sanctions […]
NAFTA renegotiations are under way and automakers are concerned about changes to rules of origin for automobiles. Strengthening the rules could make U.S. auto and manufacturing sectors less competitive globally, warned speakers at a Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) event on Wednesday. Representatives of American and international automotive producers charged that stronger rules of […]
Gilbert Kaplan, nominee for undersecretary for international trade at the Department of Commerce, was questioned today by the Senate Finance Committee on how he will approach trade issues for the nation. As undersecretary, Kaplan would be responsible for promoting U.S. trade and enforcing trade laws. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) pressed Kaplan on whether he supported […]
Steel Market Update (SMU) spoke with steel trading companies and steel mills late last week in order to gauge the “mood” of the steel suppliers. We found a mostly composed group who are looking at business for the long term (although their customers may be more fickle depending on the news of the day). A […]
At a Section 232 briefing to the Ways & Means Committee on Thursday, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross acknowledged the complexity of initiating broad trade action against imports of steel and aluminum. A “voluntary” agreement to address steel overcapacity was suggested that would allow countries to negotiate a solution to overcapacity and the resulting import surges. […]
Now that it appears the Trump administration will not be acting anytime soon on the much-anticipated Section 232 trade action, what are the implications for the steel market? Steel prices are likely to decline, say some observers, though how much and how quickly is open to debate. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that […]
We asked trade attorney Lewis Leibowitz what impact there would be on the Section 232 investigation and timing for decisions based on the comments made by President Trump of a delay in the process. Here is what Leibowitz told us earlier today: On Tuesday, July 25, President Trump revealed that he will indefinitely postpone a […]
Even conceding that a strong U.S. steel industry is vital to the nation’s security, it’s unclear whether America’s steelmakers really need an assist from the government in the form of new tariffs or quotas under Section 232. “Is the industry deserving of any kind of help? I believe you can make a good case that […]