U.S. in Talks on Tariff Exemptions, Trade Official Says<br />If Mr. Trump decides to exclude Brazil and South Korea from the tariffs,<br />and allows Canada and Mexico to remain exempt, he will have given a reprieve to the four largest foreign suppliers of steel to the United States, together accounting for half of all steel imports.<br />Mr. Lighthizer said he favored sparing those countries from the tariffs while talks continue, though he said<br />that decision would be “up to the president.” Mr. Lighthizer said he expected the conversations over exclusions to conclude by the end of April.<br />By NATALIE KITROEFFMARCH 21, 2018<br />Less than two days before the Trump administration plans to impose steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, its chief trade representative said Wednesday<br />that several of the nation’s top trading partners were in line for potential exemptions.<br />Cecilia Malmstrom, the European Union’s commissioner for trade, said in a statement<br />that she had met with the United States commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, this week to talk about steel and aluminum trade “with a view to identifying mutually acceptable outcomes as rapidly as possible<br />The trade official, Robert Lighthizer, said at a hearing of the House Ways and Means Committee<br />that the administration was talking with Australia, Argentina and the European Union about excluding them from the 25 percent tariff on imported steel and 10 percent charge on aluminum.
