The Guardian reported that UK’s steel industry is braced for an immediate slump in trade from January 2022 when European Union rivals will gain a 25% price advantage selling to the giant US market. UK Steel Director General Mr Gareth Stace said “UK steel exports to the US have halved since President Trump introduced steel tariffs in 2018. There can be no doubt these measures have significantly harmed the UK’s interests in its second biggest steel export market. Whilst we welcome the move by the US to start easing its tariffs, without a UK deal in very quick succession, our export position will only deteriorate further. It is essential that the government strains every sinew to secure a deal and ensure that UK steelmakers are able to sell their steel into the United States.”Trade union Unite’s national officer for steel Mr Harish Patel said the government needed to explain why the EU had a deal but the UK did not, amid reports that the US was holding back over the UK’s threats to unilaterally change post-Brexit trading rules governing Northern Ireland. Mr Patel said “It is alarming that British-produced steel is being effectively locked out of the critical steel market, as the continuing tariffs make EU steel considerably cheaper. The government has to sort this matter out quickly. Unless the tariffs are speedily lifted, hundreds of jobs in the steel and associated industries, most of them in so-called red wall seats, are at risk.”The EU and the US reached a Halloween agreement to remove tariffs on a quota of steel and aluminium imported from the bloc into the US from 1 January, but tariffs will remain on all UK steel and aluminium exports after government talks failed to secure a matching breakthrough.
The Guardian reported that UK’s steel industry is braced for an immediate slump in trade from January 2022 when European Union rivals will gain a 25% price advantage selling to the giant US market. UK Steel Director General Mr Gareth Stace said “UK steel exports to the US have halved since President Trump introduced steel tariffs in 2018. There can be no doubt these measures have significantly harmed the UK’s interests in its second biggest steel export market. Whilst we welcome the move by the US to start easing its tariffs, without a UK deal in very quick succession, our export position will only deteriorate further. It is essential that the government strains every sinew to secure a deal and ensure that UK steelmakers are able to sell their steel into the United States.”Trade union Unite’s national officer for steel Mr Harish Patel said the government needed to explain why the EU had a deal but the UK did not, amid reports that the US was holding back over the UK’s threats to unilaterally change post-Brexit trading rules governing Northern Ireland. Mr Patel said “It is alarming that British-produced steel is being effectively locked out of the critical steel market, as the continuing tariffs make EU steel considerably cheaper. The government has to sort this matter out quickly. Unless the tariffs are speedily lifted, hundreds of jobs in the steel and associated industries, most of them in so-called red wall seats, are at risk.”The EU and the US reached a Halloween agreement to remove tariffs on a quota of steel and aluminium imported from the bloc into the US from 1 January, but tariffs will remain on all UK steel and aluminium exports after government talks failed to secure a matching breakthrough.
