AFP, Berlin :
Berlin strongly protested Friday a move by the United States to slap punitive “anti-dumping” duties on steel plate products from companies in Germany and six other nations.
Germany said the EU should consider filing a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in what threatens to turn into a major trade row under US President Donald Trump, who has promised protectionist measures to put “America First”.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the step breached global trade rules and unfairly disadvantaged suppliers in Germany, as well as in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
The former economy minister warned that to deliberately violate WTO rules “is a dangerous step” and that “Europeans cannot accept this”.
He said he had noted “with utter incomprehension” the decision by the US Commerce Department on imports of carbon and alloy steel plate products that impacts German companies Salzgitter AG and Dillinger Huette.
“Despite our efforts and repeated interventions by the European Union, the US Commerce Department has applied calculation methods that contravene WTO rules with the aim of harming US competitors in the steel industry,” he said.
Berlin strongly protested Friday a move by the United States to slap punitive “anti-dumping” duties on steel plate products from companies in Germany and six other nations.
Germany said the EU should consider filing a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in what threatens to turn into a major trade row under US President Donald Trump, who has promised protectionist measures to put “America First”.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the step breached global trade rules and unfairly disadvantaged suppliers in Germany, as well as in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
The former economy minister warned that to deliberately violate WTO rules “is a dangerous step” and that “Europeans cannot accept this”.
He said he had noted “with utter incomprehension” the decision by the US Commerce Department on imports of carbon and alloy steel plate products that impacts German companies Salzgitter AG and Dillinger Huette.
“Despite our efforts and repeated interventions by the European Union, the US Commerce Department has applied calculation methods that contravene WTO rules with the aim of harming US competitors in the steel industry,” he said.
