The French Minister of Economy, Bruno Le Maire, in a joint communication made with his German counterpart Peter Altmeier, declared that Europe will be "totally united, firm and determined" in the face of the possible imposition of duties on steel and aluminum by US President Donald Trump. “We will not accept that Europe can be hit by tariffs on steel and aluminum,” added Le Maire.
Europe is also joined by Canada, which is pressing the White House against the duties related to steel and aluminum. The rates, taken the 23 last March, have not been applied to some countries that are temporarily exempt (European Union, Canada and Mexico).
Originally the exemption was set for May 1 but then postponed to June 1.
As in Brussels, optimism for a permanent exemption has also faded in recent days, but Justin Trudeau, Canadian premier, explained: "We will continue to work on the issue" also considering that Canada is committed to dealing with the US and Mexico for the rewriting of NAFTA, the free trade agreement signed by the three nations in 1994 and which Trump pushed for an update.
The statement by Chrystia Freeland, Canadian Foreign Minister, who from the US capital added that he had launched a message similar to that of Trudeau to the US trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, was similar in tone: Canada "is always ready to defend" its workers in the event that Washington decides not to exonerate the nation from the duties on the two metals.