Trade Reps Meet Again To Discuss Metals Dispute

United States Trade Rep Katherine Tai will hold another meeting with her European Commission counterpart, Valdis Dombrovskis, today to try to find a breakthrough in a metals dispute. Without a deal, section 232 tariffs (25% on steels and 10% on aluminium), which were imposed by the Trump administration, and temporarily lifted two-years ago, will be reapplied in December.

• Dombrovskis told the Financial Times that he was hopeful of a breakthrough but “insisted that the EU would not sign up to any agreement that breaches global trade standards," or unfairly discriminate against imports from some countries.
• Dombrovskis: “As the EU, we’re committed to multilateralism, to the rules-based global order. We would like to avoid engaging in agreements which manifestly violate World Trade Organization rules.”
• The USTR said on Monday that the regularity of meetings between the two parties, “reflects the strong ongoing commitment from the U.S. and the EU to reach consensus on the agreement by the October 2023 deadline.”
• An NPR article from 2018 gives an indication of the kind of retaliatory EU measures can be expected if a deal isn't reached.