Canada Requests WTO Consultations on US Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

On the 13th (local time), Canada requested dispute consultations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) regarding the United States' imposition of a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum.

Canada requested dispute consultations on this matter, arguing that the U.S. steel and aluminum tariff measures are inconsistent with the United States' obligations under the 1994 General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), according to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the same day.

Canada stated to the WTO that the U.S. measures ended the exemption from additional tariffs on certain steel and aluminum products and raised tariffs.

The 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods took effect on March 4, but energy products and potassium, which faced a 10% tariff, were exceptions. A few days later, U.S. President Donald Trump suspended auto-related tariffs until April 2 and postponed the implementation of tariffs on items covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April 2, effectively delaying most tariff impositions until next month. In response, Canada imposed tariffs of about $21 billion on U.S. goods, including fruits and vegetables, home appliances, and alcoholic beverages.

The U.S. government announced that, according to a proclamation signed by President Trump on the 10th of last month, a 25% tariff would be imposed on all imported steel, aluminum, and derivative products starting from the 12th.

According to statistics from the International Trade Administration (ITA) under the U.S. Department of Commerce, Canada exported $7.14 billion worth of steel products to the U.S. last year, ranking first in steel exports to the U.S.

Mexico ranked second with $3.5 billion. Separately, Canada had previously requested WTO dispute consultations on the 5th regarding the U.S. imposition of 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.