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WTO rules in Switzerland’s favour over US steel tariffs

steel
© Keystone / Gaetan Bally

Switzerland has been heard at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) after its complaint in 2018 against US tariffs on steel and aluminium.

In the decision published on Friday in Geneva, the arbitration panel largely ruled against US tariffs. Switzerland had joined other countries such as China, Norway and Turkey in initiating a WTO dispute settlement procedure in 2018 against US President Donald Trump’s decision to hit various countries with import tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium. At the time national security was used by the US to justify the tariffs.

In its ruling on Friday, the WTO panel stated that it did not find that the measures at issue were “taken in time of war or other emergency in international relations”. The panel also recommended that the US “bring its WTO-inconsistent measures into conformity with its obligations” as a WTO member. 

Switzerland exported steel products worth about CHF80 million ($80.5 million) before the tariffs were imposed. 
 

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