Ottawa:
Canada introduced a complaint on Thursday to the World Trade Organization about the over-the-board of US President Donald Trump of 25 percent rates for steel and aluminum imports.
The steep taxes, which came into effect on Wednesday, contain no exemptions despite the efforts of countries to prevent them.
“Canada has asked WTO discussions with the United States with regard to the imposition by the United States of import tasks on certain steel and aluminum products from Canada,” said the WTO.
“Canada claims that the measures that cancel the exemption of Canada of extra tasks on certain steel and aluminum products and the tasks on aluminum articles, and which were in force on 12 March, are not consistent with American obligations,” said the worldwide instance.
Canada is the leading supplier of Staal to the United States, followed by Brazil and then the European Union.
The United States import about half of the steel and aluminum used in the country to make items, ranging from cars and planes to soft drinks.
Trump's goal is to protect the decreasing American steel industry, because it is confronted with growing competition, especially from Asia.
Canada's request for consultations formally initiates a dispute in the Geneva established WTO.
Consultation gives the parties the opportunity to discuss the case and find a satisfactory solution without continuing with a lawsuit.
If the consultation did not resolve the dispute after 60 days, the complainant can ask for a panel for a panel.
Canada launched a separate WTO complaint about Trump's earlier tariff maneuvers on 4 March.
Shortly after Trump returned to position on January 20, he announced – and subsequently paused – blanket 25 percent rates for the import of large trading partners Canada and Mexico, and accused them of not stopping illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
(Except for the headline, this story was not edited by Our staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.)
