Trump warned over ‘absurd’ EU steel tariff

DONALD TRUMP’S decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on steel imports from the EU is “patently absurd” and could result in a trade war, Britain has warned.

Wilbur Ross, the US commerce secretary, yesterday announced the president’s decision to push ahead with tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium on imports from the EU, Canada and Mexico.

The move poses a threat to as many as 31,000 jobs in some of Britain’s most deprived areas and comes despite intensive lobbying, including appeals by Theresa May to Mr Trump urging him to exempt steel from the EU.

Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, said: “It’s very disappointing that the US has chosen to apply steel and aluminium tariffs to countries across the EU, allies of the US, all in the name of national security.

“In the case of the UK, where we send steel to the US that is vital for their businesses and the defence industry, it is patently absurd.” Jean Claudejuncker, the president of the European Commission, responded by saying that the EU would place additional duties on imports from the US.

Dr Fox said: “We absolutely do not rule out countermeasures and taking our dispute to the World Trade Organisation at Geneva.

“We still hope the US will think again about this but it would be a great pity if we ended up in a tit-for-tat trade dispute with our closest allies.”