APAA Applauds U.S. Government's Support of American Aluminum and Defense of Section 232 Duties in Response to Flawed WTO Report

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA), the leading voice for America's primary aluminum industry and its workers, today released the following statement in support of the U.S. government's response to the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel report regarding challenges to Section 232 measures on steel and aluminum:

"The APAA, its members, and its workers strongly support the Biden administration's rebuke today to the WTO report on Section 232. A robust and thriving U.S.-based aluminum industry is critical to our country's national, economic, and climate security interests. The United States should never forfeit its responsibility to protect industries critical to its own defense simply to appease faceless multilateral institutions.

"The U.S. government's implementation of Section 232 saved what was left of the U.S. aluminum industry. It stabilized the industry and allowed producers to begin to reinvest and make the necessary capital expenditures to upgrade and expand. The ongoing use of the Section 232 program will allow the industry to continue to invest and upgrade its facilities to support the country's growing aluminum needs and the long-term viability of the aluminum industry.

"For decades, U.S.-manufactured aluminum has been threatened by the enormous amount of heavily subsidized excess capacity generated by China, Russia, and others. By the beginning of 2016, the U.S. had nearly lost its ability to produce aluminum. The continued implementation of Section 232 recognizes the key role that the aluminum industry plays in U.S. national security, economic development, and green transformation already underway, and continues to foster an environment in which the domestic aluminum industry and its workers can not only survive, but thrive.

"The APAA, its members, and workers stand ready to continue to support the U.S. government in maintaining the future viability of the Section 232 program and look forward to supporting U.S. national security for decades to come."

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SOURCE American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA)