Last Friday, February 24, 20,23, the Biden Administration published a Proclamation on Adjusting Aluminum Imports to the United States. The full proclamation can be found here.
The Proclamation says that all aluminum articles and their derivatives will be subject to a 200% tariff from March 10, 2023. A 200% ad valorem tax will also be imposed on aluminum articles whose primary or derivative aluminum was melted or cast in Russia.
The purpose of the Biden Administration’s Russian aluminum tariff is, according to the President, to respond punitively to Russia’s “unjustified, unprovoked, unyielding, and unconscionable war against Ukraine.” Indeed, the Russian aluminum industry is a key part of Russia’s defense and has played a major role in supplying Russia with weapons and ammunition. In addition, Russia’s conflict in Ukraine has caused global energy prices to rise, causing direct harm to the United States’ aluminum industry.
According to the Proclamation Russia is one of the largest sources of aluminum in the United States. The United States imports aluminum from Russia, but not from China.
