MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. Russia’s aluminum producer Rusal assumes that the country should be exempted from the US tariffs on steel and aluminum that came into force starting Friday, March 23, the company’s spokesman told TASS.
"Our subsidiary Rusal America in State of Delaware has been operating since 1999. We supply to the US market products with low carbon footprint, which are marketable, though scarce. We assume that Russia should be exempted from tariffs for protecting American consumers from price growth, and for ensuring that the American manufacturing industry remains competitive," he said.
Earlier reports said that tariffs on imported steel and aluminum imposed by the United States came into force starting March 23 after the US President Donald Trump signed the tariffs - 25% on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminum earlier this month. The tariffs from the EU members states, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea were suspended until May 1, 2018, the White House said. These suspensions are based on factors including ongoing discussions regarding measures to reduce global excess capacity in steel and aluminum production by addressing its root causes. By May 1, the US President will decide whether to continue to exempt these countries from the tariffs, based on the status of the discussions. The European Union will negotiate on behalf of its member countries, the White House said.
The US administration has repeatedly spoken of the need to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign steel and aluminum producers and protect domestic production.