Aluminum Association: Across-the-Board Tariffs A Missed Opportunity on Industry Trade Challenges

ARLINGTON, VA, March 06, 2018 -- In a letter to President Donald J. Trump, Aluminum Association President & CEO Heidi Brock expressed concerns about the president’s recent announcement of a global tariff on aluminum products imported into the United States. The Aluminum Association’s member companies represent the entire industry value chain and the vast majority of domestic aluminum production.

You can read the full letter here.

“On behalf of the Aluminum Association’s 114 member companies and the 713,000 U.S. jobs our industry supports, we are grateful for the attention that you and your administration have dedicated to our industry,” Brock said in the letter. “However, we are deeply concerned about the effects of a global tariff on aluminum production and jobs in the United States.”

The letter proposes an alternative approach to address the serious trade challenges facing the domestic aluminum industry today:

• Address Chinese Overcapacity: Move toward immediate government-to-government negotiations with China to address persistent overcapacity in both primary and semi-fabricated aluminum sectors;
• Targeted Tariffs: Implement a remedy that will address Chinese overcapacity through targeted action on China and possibly other countries with an established history of duty evasion and circumvention;
• Exemption for Vital Trading Partners: Avoid disruption of current trading relationships between the United States and critical trading partner countries that operate as market economies (including Canada and the European Union);
• Support Full Industry Value Chain: Address the needs of the entire domestic aluminum value chain to avoid unintended consequences for U.S. aluminum manufacturing jobs in mid-and-downstream production processes;
• Import Monitoring System: Adopt an aluminum import monitoring system to provide greater transparency for aluminum and aluminum products entering the United States.

“Unfortunately, the tariffs proposed will do little to address the fundamental problem of massive aluminum overcapacity in China, while impacting supply chains with vital trading partners who play by the rules,” added Brock. “We fear that the proposed tariff may do more harm than good, hurting rather than helping the 97 percent of aluminum industry jobs in mid-and-downstream production processes.”

U.S. imports of aluminum extrusions from China have already been found to injure the domestic industry, and unfair trade investigations on U.S. imports of aluminum foil and common alloy aluminum sheet from China are underway. Importantly, there are no existing unfair trade orders on imports of aluminum or aluminum products from any of the United States’ other trading partners.

The letter concluded: “As time is of the essence, we would appreciate an opportunity to discuss these recommended actions with members of your administration. We hope to ensure that the remedy you put in place ultimately achieves our common objectives of creating a level playing field for the U.S. aluminum industry, and maintaining its ability to make long-term contributions to our country’s economic strength, national security and jobs.”   

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About the Aluminum Association
The Aluminum Association represents aluminum production and jobs in the United States, ranging from primary production to value added products to recycling, as well as suppliers to the industry. The Association is the industry’s leading voice, providing global standards, business intelligence, sustainability research and industry expertise to member companies, policymakers and the general public. The aluminum industry helps manufacturers produce sustainable and innovative products, including more fuel-efficient vehicles, recyclable packaging, greener buildings and modern electronics.  In the U.S., the aluminum industry creates $186 billion in economic activity. For more information visit http://www.aluminum.org, on Twitter @AluminumNews or at Facebook.com/AluminumAssociation.

Attachment:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/994606eb-f567-4a22-9019-3403c1fee7f7

Matt Meenan
Aluminum Association
703-358-2977
[email protected]