Measures regarding steel and aluminum exports to the United States

The Government of Brazil regrets the decision announced today, March 12, by the Government of the United States to raise tariffs on U.S. imports of steel and aluminum to 25% for all countries and to revoke all existing quota arrangements for those products. These measures will have a significant impact on Brazilian steel and aluminum exports to the United States, which totaled approximately US$ 3.2 billion in 2024.

In defense of Brazilian companies and workers, and in keeping with its traditional support for the multilateral trading system, the Brazilian Government considers unjustified and misguided the unilateral barriers that affect trade between Brazil and the United States, especially in light of the two countries’ longstanding history of cooperation and economic integration. According to U.S. Government data, the United States maintains a substantial and long-standing trade surplus with Brazil, amounting to around US$ 7 billion in goods alone in 2024.

In the steel sector, the Brazilian and U.S. industries have maintained a mutually beneficial, complementary relationship for decades. Brazil is the third-largest importer of U.S. metallurgical coal (US$ 1.2 billion) and the largest exporter of semi-finished steel to the United States (US$ 2.2 billion, representing 60% of total U.S. imports). Semi-finished steel is an essential input for the U.S. steel industry itself.

Given the actual impact of these measures on Brazilian exports, the Government of Brazil will seek to defend the interests of domestic producers, in coordination with the private sector, through engagement with the U.S. Government. In upcoming meetings scheduled for the next few weeks, it will evaluate all possible measures in the realm of international trade with a view to mitigating the harmful effects of the U.S. actions and safeguarding Brazil’s legitimate interests, including potential recourse to the World Trade Organization.