White House says Trump may reimpose steel, aluminium tariffs on Brazil

In a statement, the White House said its focus would be on negotiating suitable quotas as in the case of imports of steel from South Korea, the only country to have won a permanent exemption so far.

“In my judgment…these discussions will be most productive if steel articles from Argentina, Australia and Brazil remain exempt from the tariff…until the details can be finalized and implemented by proclamation”, he said.

In a statement emailed late on Monday, Austen also said Canada would work to secure good jobs for steel and aluminum workers on both sides of the U.S.

Steel and aluminum exporters from China, along with other steel-exporting nations, such as Japan and India, have been paying the USA tariffs since late-March.

Trump has often talked about America’s trade deficit with China as justification for his tariffs, apparently because he has for decades misunderstood the win-win nature of trade. It’s too complicated if you make war against everybody”, Macron said prior to his visit to Washington last week “You make trade war against China, trade war against Europe, war in Syria, war against Iran.

The US confirmed that it has reached an agreement with South Korea, and is still in the process of doing so with Argentina, Australia, Brazil.

In a statement, the European Commission says that the decision “prolongs market uncertainty, which is already affecting business decisions”.

The decision comes hours before the temporary exemptions were set to expire at 12:01 am on Tuesday.

“It’s very important that so many of our friends make some concessions with respect to trading practices, tariffs and taxes”, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told CNBC.

For Canada, Mexico and the EU, Navarro’s emphasis that any country escaping the tariffs would face quotas and other restrictions – a line he repeated twice and that he said was the reason he allowed media access – signals the administration’s intention to telegraph its hardball approach.

He and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had written to their “US counterparts”, and directed officials to engage at all levels, he said.

Facing a Tuesday, May 1, deadline to extend exemptions, the president granted another 30-day reprieve for the European Union along with NAFTA partners Canada and Mexico.

Trump has said the USA may stop imposing such tariffs if trade deficits with the partner concerned are going to shrink.

Trump’s plan calls for a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum.

He said: “There are no reasons which can justify that the European Union be subject to a unilateral increase in tariffs on steel and aluminium”.

Trump announced the members of an official delegation from the United States to China to discuss the trade relationship between the two countries beginning Thursday, May 3, 2018.

According to the EC, EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom will continue negotiations with U.S counterparts, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.