The temporary exemptions provided to certain of the US' allies on its new steel and aluminum import tariffs will only be valid through May 1 unless the parties are able to reach a longer-term agreement, according to a pair of presidential proclamations released late Thursday by the White House.
"The US is continuing discussions with Canada and Mexico, as well as [Australia, Argentina, Brazil, South Korea and the EU]... Each of these countries has an important security relationship with the US and I have determined that the necessary and appropriate means to address the threat to the national security posed by imports from steel articles from these countries is to continue these discussions and to exempt steel articles imports from these countries from the tariff, at least at this time," according to the proclamation on steel tariffs, signed by President Donald Trump.
"Any country not listed in this proclamation with which we have security relationship remains welcome to discuss with the United States alternative ways to address the threatened impairment of the national security caused by imports of steel articles from that country," it added.
The US on Friday will begin implementing a 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminum imports following an investigation by the Department of Commerce into the effect of these imports on US national security.
The proclamation also states that Trump will consider directing Customs and Border Protection to put in place a quota on imports from the exempted countries before the May 1 deadline, "if necessary and appropriate."
Should a quota be set, Trump will "take into account all steel articles imports since January 1, 2018, in setting the amount of such quota."
Despite granting exemptions for some of the largest steel exporters to the US, tariffs remain "an important first step in ensuring the economic vitality of our domestic steel industry and removing the threatened impairment of the national security," the proclamation said.
While the president maintains the right to adjust the 25% tariff on steel and 10% tariff on aluminum imports should any countries receive exemptions, because the current exemptions are temporary he has determined that it is "necessary and appropriate to maintain the current tariff level at this time," according to the proclamations.
