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
SMU Survey: Less support seen for Trump tariff policies
Meanwhile, an increasing number think it's too early to say whether the penalties are going to bring more manufacturing to the US.
CRU: USW seeks exclusion for Canada from Trump’s tariffs
The union is also urging stronger enforcement against countries such as China which break trade rules, and a coordinated Canada-US strategy to protect union jobs across the North America
Price on trade: A lot happened last week – and it wasn’t all about tariffs
Should foreign investment be allowed to reshape the American steel Industry? Not to be lost in the recent on-again-off-again tariff frenzy, Nippon Steel’s proposed takeover of U.S. Steel has also found itself in President Trump’s crosshairs when it comes to trade and industrial policy. Nippon Steel initially announced its nearly $15-billion bid for U.S. Steel […]
Trump signs executive order aimed at making US shipbuilding ‘great again’
President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order meant to breathe new life into American shipbuilding and curb Chinese dominance in the sector.
Trump still against selling USS to Japanese firm: Report
Despite ordering a new review of Nippon Steel’s bid for U.S. Steel, President Trump said he is still against selling USS to a Japanese company, according to media reports.