The steel industry in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) is at the centre of historic trade conflicts and current existential challenges posed by overcapacity and the ‘green transformation’. While both sides have predominantly defended themselves against each other’s imports in the decades since the end of World War II through trade protection measures, some of which have been met with countermeasures or dispute settlement procedures, attempts at closer cooperation can also be identified on several occasions. A more recent proposal geared toward the current challenges of today would have created a sustainable steel club. This could have led to a restructuring of bilateral, and possibly also global, steel markets, similar to the historic European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). So far, all initiatives for multilateral and bilateral solutions have ultimately failed to materialize. However, new unilateral measures by the EU and the underlying change in trade policy approach could perhaps provide new impetus with regard to EU-US partnership.
Global Trade and Customs Journal