Statement from Ambassador Tai on steel and aluminum tariff rate quota extension

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai today released the following statement after President Biden signed two Presidential Proclamations to extend the European Union’s access to U.S. tariff rate quotas (TRQs) for steel and aluminum for two additional years. This extension, combined with the EU’s continued suspension on tariffs on U.S. goods, will give both sides additional time to negotiate a global arrangement that addresses carbon intensity and non-market capacity in the steel and aluminum industries.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, the United States is committed to defending workers, communities, and domestic industries from global non-market overcapacity and excessive carbon emissions. By extending the European Union’s steel and aluminum TRQs for an additional two years, we can continue negotiations on a forward-looking, high-standard arrangement, while providing predictability and stability to steel and aluminum workers and their families on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Maintaining viable steel and aluminum production at home is vital to U.S. national security, and our efforts with trading partners, including the EU, will continue to be guided by this tenet.”

The TRQ extension will take effect on January 1, 2024 and last until December 31, 2025. Last week, the European Union announced a continued suspension on tariffs on U.S. goods for a 15-month period.