US tariffs on metals double as ‘best offers’ deadline arrives

Washington doubled its tariffs on steel and aluminium imports on Wednesday, the same day President Donald Trump’s administration expects trading partners to make “best offers” to avoid other punishing import levies from taking effect in early July.

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Maros Sefcovic, the trade negotiator for the European Union, said he “had a productive and constructive discussion” with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Wednesday morning.

“We're advancing in the right direction at pace - and staying in close contact to maintain the momentum,” Sefcovic said on X, without giving any detail on the talks. He had been due to make the case for cutting or eliminating threatened tariffs on European imports.

Late on Tuesday, Trump signed an executive proclamation that activates from Wednesday a hike in the tariffs on imported steel and aluminium to 50 per cent from the 25 per cent rate introduced in March.

“We started at 25 and then after studying the data more, realized that it was a big help, but more help is needed. And so that is why the 50 is starting tomorrow,” White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told a steel industry conference in Washington on Tuesday. The increase came into effect at 12:01am (0401 GMT).

The increase applies to all trading partners except Britain, the only country so far that has struck a preliminary trade agreement with the US during a 90-day pause on a wider array of Trump tariffs. The rate for steel and aluminium imports from the UK - which does not rank among the top exporters of either metal to the US - will remain at 25 per cent until at least July 9.