Tariffs on imported steel and aluminum imposed by the United States comes into force starting March 23, the White House said in a statement on Friday.
The tariffs from the EU members states, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and South Korea were suspended until May 1, 2018, the White House said.
“These suspensions are based on factors including ongoing discussions regarding measures to reduce global excess capacity in steel and aluminium production by addressing its root causes,” the statement said.
“By May 1, the President will decide whether to continue to exempt these countries from the tariffs, based on the status of the discussions. The European Union will negotiate on behalf of its member countries,” the White House said.
Earlier this month the US President Donald Trump signed the tariffs – 25% on imported steel and 10% on imported aluminum.
The US administration has repeatedly spoken of the need to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign steel and aluminum producers and protect domestic production.