Trade Cases
North American Steel Producers Release Industry Priorities for NAFTA
Written by Sandy Williams
June 5, 2017
Six leading steel groups in Canada, Mexico and the United States are today urging their respective governments to ensure that negotiations on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) include key tenets that would result in growing consumption of steel in North America and increasing intra-NAFTA trade and market share for NAFTA producers.
In a joint policy statement that they have sent to their respective governments, the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), the Steel Manufacturers Association (SMA), the Canadian Steel Producers Association (CSPA), CANACERO (the Mexican steel association), the Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports (CPTI) and the Specialty Steel Industry of North America (SSINA) outlined five recommendations for upgrading NAFTA. They include:
- Strengthening rules of origin and enhanced regional value content requirements;
- Promoting trade enforcement cooperation and coordination;
- Establishing enforceable currency disciplines;
- Establishing disciplines on the conduct of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs); and,
- Improving customs procedures operation and coordination; and upgrading border infrastructure.
“NAFTA has provided significant benefits to U.S., Canadian and Mexican steel industries. It has resulted in strengthened North American manufacturing supply chains, especially with key customer groups like the North American automotive industry. It has contributed to increases in exports, investments, and helped the steel industry remain globally competitive. While we view NAFTA as a successful agreement, after 23 years it can be modernized and strengthened,” the groups stated. “We welcome the opportunity to work with our respective governments to re-examine and modernize the agreement.”
(Note: The above is a press release from the six associations; the text of the joint statement can be accessed here.)
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Trade Cases
Fitch warns more tariffs will pressure global commodity markets
“New commodity-specific tariffs, mainly on steel and aluminum products, could widen price differentials and divert trade flows,” the credit agency forewarned.
Commerce increases import duties on Korean galv, plate
The Commerce Department is raising the import duties on imports of corrosion-resistant sheet and cut-to-length plate from Korea.
Leibowitz on trade: Why is protectionism so popular?
The world has had a few shocks recently. The CEO of a major health insurance company was gunned down in Manhattan. The 50-year Assad dynasty in Syria was pushed out less than two weeks after rebels started an offensive. And President-elect Trump is promising tariffs on everything a month before he takes office. But one shock has been taking place for a lot longer than the last few weeks. The 70-year consensus on trade hasn’t just been challenged. It’s been repudiated.
Ternium chief say Mexico tariffs ‘irrational’
Vedoya said the proposed tariffs are "an irrational measure that would harm both their own industry and ours."
Price on Trade: Trump tariffs are no negotiating tool – and could come at lightning speed
We focused on trade actions the second Trump administration might take in a prior column. Since then, we have learned more about the individuals who will be leading these efforts. Recent nominations reinforce the president-elect’s statements that tariffs will feature prominently in the second administration and that trade actions will be unveiled at lightning speed.