AISI Reacts to G20 Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity

November 30, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), today issued the following statement in response to the report released today by the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity:

“We are grateful and appreciative of the leadership and commitment of the U.S. government to address the global steel overcapacity crisis and the market-distorting government policies and practices that have driven it. The massive build-up in steel capacity in other countries, which has fueled historic levels of unfairly traded imports into the U.S., is the most critical issue facing the steel industry today. The report of the Global Forum issued today properly focuses on the need for governments to eliminate market-distorting subsidies and other measures that contribute to excess capacity and to ensure a level playing field between private sector steel producers and state-owned enterprises. However, these and the other policy recommendations presented by the Global Forum will only be meaningful if they are actually implemented by governments. Promises alone will not solve the problems facing the global steel industry; concrete actions by governments must follow in short order.

At the same time, continued aggressive enforcement of the full range of U.S. trade laws, including Section 232 and our antidumping and countervailing duty laws, is critical to ensure that the U.S. industry is not further damaged by unfair trade in steel. In our view, a trade policy that couples vigorous enforcement with continued international engagement offers the best opportunity for successfully addressing the global overcapacity crisis in steel.”

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Contact: Lisa Harrison
202.452.7115 / lharrison@www.steel.org

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 19 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and approximately 120 associate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. For more news about steel and its applications, view AISI’s website at www.steel.org. Follow AISI on Facebook or Twitter (@AISISteel).