WTO to Investigate U.S. Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum

(GENEVA, SWITZERLAND) The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body on Tuesday agreed to requests from India and Switzerland for the establishment of panels to examine tariffs imposed by the United States on steel and aluminum imports. The two countries submitted their second requests after their first requests were blocked by the US late last month. India said the fact that seven members have already secured panels to rule on the tariffs reflects the serious concerns the WTO membership has with the US actions as well as their confidence in the WTO as a forum for resolving disputes. Switzerland said it firmly challenges the US argument that, by merely invoking Article XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994, a panel is precluded from reviewing the claims against the US tariffs; without the possibility of reviewing such a claim, any WTO member could, by simply invoking Article XXI, exempt measures of a commercial nature from the scope of WTO dispute settlement. The Body agreed to the establishment of the two panels requested by India and Switzerland to review the claims against the US.