Foreign trade US tariffs on steel and aluminum "unjustified" for Australia
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticized the US tariffs on steel and aluminium that are due to be imposed on his country from Wednesday as "completely unjustified". "This is not a friendly act," Albanese told media representatives on Wednesday (local time).
12.03.2025, 02:49
SDA
"This is clearly not a positive step in our relationship. It's as simple as that," Albanese said after apparently failing to secure a last-minute exemption for Australia.
The move contradicted the "spirit of lasting friendship between our two nations", Albanese explained. Despite the setback, Canberra would not take any retaliatory measures, he said. He justified this by saying that "tariffs and escalating trade tensions are a form of economic self-harm and a recipe for slower growth and higher inflation".
Surcharges amounting to 25 percent
The import tariffs on steel and aluminum announced by US President Donald Trump come into force on Wednesday. They will affect US trading partners worldwide. The Republican had announced the surcharges of 25 percent for the most important supplier countries in February. The steel tariffs are the first to directly affect the European Union during Trump's second term in office.
According to Albanese, Trump had previously "agreed that an exemption will be considered in the interest of both our countries". In a phone call with the US president in February, Albanese said at the time that he had argued for Australia to be exempted from the tariffs on steel and aluminum.
No exemption
On Wednesday night, Australian media then reported that the exemption was no longer on the table. "He considered it and decided against it," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told ABC, referring to US President Trump.
Australia only plays a minor role in the global steel export markets. However, the country has significant deposits of iron ore, an important raw material for steel production.
