APAA Issues Comments on USITC Evaluation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA) provided additional comments related to the International Trade Commission's (ITC) evaluation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). In the comments, the APAA noted that third-party requests that the ITC include the effects of the aluminum and steel tariffs in its assessment of the USMCA agreement are outside the scope of the ITC's mandate under the statute. 

To download the comments filed by the APAA, please follow the link here.

"Claims by certain special interest groups do not take into consideration the tangible and positive effects the Trump administration's tariffs are having on domestic metal production," said Mark Duffy, CEO of APAA. "American primary aluminum production in the U.S. is surging, with production expected to expand by over 60 percent from pre-tariff levels in 2017. Contrary to claims, downstream producers have not been disadvantaged.  The reality is that over 22 new domestic production expansions have been announced and thousands of new American jobs have been created."

The APAA found that the ITC's own analysis of the aluminum industry two years earlier justifies the application of Section 232 relief across all import sources.  The ITC's previous study found that governments from around the world including China, Canada, India, the Persian Gulf States, and Russia were subsidizing their industries.  These subsidies have been detrimental to the U.S. primary aluminum industry.  The Section 232 tariffs remedy the negative effects of these foreign government subsidies by addressing the global problem by providing across the board relief regardless of source.  For the Section 232 relief to remain effective, it must continue to apply broadly to all import sources.

The APAA also highlighted that according to Section 105(c) of the Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA) statute authorizing the ITC to undertake any analysis of the USMCA limits such analysis to the USMCA exclusively, and not to adjunction issues, such as the Section 232 tariffs on aluminum and steel, which are not expressly incorporated within the USMCA.

Despite exaggerated predictions often championed by interest groups, empirical evidence shows the tariffs have had a positive effect on trade and the U.S. economy.

About the American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA): The American Primary Aluminum Association represents the majority of America's primary aluminum industry and advocates to advance the interests of the domestic industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. APAA is registered and incorporated in Washington, DC and operates as a non-profit trade association. For more, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org

SOURCE American Primary Aluminum Association