British minister for International Trade, Elizabeth Truss, has announced that the UK will initially roll over the European Union (EU) mandated tariffs on US-origin steel and aluminum upon leaving the trading bloc on Jan 1.
In a statement on Dec 8, Truss indicated that upon regaining its trading independence and sovereignty, the UK will retain the tariffs in response to what it calls “unjustified” Section 232 duties imposed by the USA on imports of British-origin steel and aluminum.
Truss stated that the UK wants to “de-escalate the conflict and come to a negotiated settlement so we can deepen our trading relationship with the US” while “protecting our steel industry against illegal and unfair tariffs.”
In 2018, the US government announced that under Section 232 of the US Trade Expansion Act of 1962 it would place tariffs on EU imports of steel and aluminum, citing concerns over “national security”.
In response, the EU imposed counter-balancing measures on US products.