The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced on April 20 thatTurkeyhas requested consultations with theUSregarding theSection 232tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to exchange views on the measure and reach an understanding on ways to achieve the objective set out in the WTO's Agreement on Safeguards.
Meanwhile, according to the WTO’s announcement on April 23, theUShas declinedTurkey’s request for consultations, stating that the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports are not safeguard measures, and, therefore, there is no basis to conduct consultations under the WTO’s Agreement on Safeguards with respect to these measures. TheUSalso said that it is open to discuss this or any other issue withTurkey; however, any discussions regarding the proclamations would not be under the WTO’s Agreement on Safeguards.