Media releases
Tuesday, 23 July 2002 / MVT90/2002
A Further Win For Australian Steel Exports to the US
The lifting of restrictions on Australian welded pipe and tube exports
to the United States is good news for the Australian steel industry,
Trade Minister Mark Vaile said today.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) granted
the further exclusion for Australian steel from the Section 201 Safeguard
Measures on imports of certain steel products.
"Through the ongoing process of seeking exclusions, the Australian
Government is delivering benefits to the Australian steel industry,"
Mr Vaile said.
"The Government is very pleased that the US Administration has
listened to our concerns and continues to respond in a way that reflects
our mutual commercial interests in this sector."
This announcement will particularly benefit OneSteel Limited, which
exports welded pipe and tube to the United States. Under the US safeguard
measures, this product was facing a tariff of 15 per cent. OneSteel
also recently benefited from the exclusion of galvanised cold rolled
steel channels to the US, for which a tariff of 30 per cent would
otherwise have applied. OneSteel's exports of these products
were worth almost $800,000 in 2001. The removal of these tariffs will
assist the further development of the US market for these unique products.
"Around 85 per cent of Australia's steel exports to the
United States will continue to have tariff-free access to the US market,"
Mr Vaile said.
"This outcome demonstrates how World Trade Organisation leverage
can be used bilaterally to defend the interests of Australian steel
exporters without going through lengthy dispute settlement proceedings.
"While the Australian Government has achieved exclusions for
most of Australia's steel exports to the United States, I will
continue to make it clear to the United States Government that the
steel import restraints are bad policy and should be removed in their
entirety as soon as possible."
Contact: Nicole Guihot 02 6277 7420
Local Date:
Friday, 05-Dec-2008 13:31:47 EST
