On Monday, July 16 the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) launched five separate disputes at the World Trade Organization against Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico and Turkey to challenge the retaliatory tariffs each country imposed on U.S. exports in response to President Trump’s recent actions regarding aluminum and steel.
The United States’ steel and aluminum tariffs were imposed after the Secretary of Commerce reported that imports of these products threaten to harm U.S. national security. According to the United States Trade Representative, these tariffs are justified under several international agreements. However, the tariffs that the aforementioned countries imposed on U.S. exports in retaliation are not in compliance with international rules or WTO member commitments.
Read more about the initiation of the disputes here.