The Biden administration on Friday issued another round of tariffs on key industrial products from Russia — including a 200 percent tariff on aluminum — as the country’s invasion of Ukraine recently marked a one-year period.
The aluminum levies were announced in addition to $2.7 billion worth of new tariffs on many metals and raw materials from the country. Tariff levies on most metals and metal products will be doubled from 35% to 70% from the beginning of April, and will focus on “a crucial sector in terms of income in the Russian economy”. The administration also raised tariffs on other Russian products, including chemicals and minerals, to 35%.
Catherine Tai, representative of the US Department of Commerce, stated that: “These actions are carefully calibrated to exert economic pressure on Russia while minimizing the costs to consumers in the US. As President Biden said in Poland earlier this week, the United States and our allies and partners will hold accountable those responsible for this war.’
The aluminum levies will take effect in March, and come at a time when US businesses continue to import Russian metals despite the ongoing war. Imports from Russia increased in both 2021 and 2022, according to a presidential announcement, and Russia is the fifth largest source of imported aluminum in the US.
In announcing the new aluminum tariff, Biden noted that US imports of Russian aluminum increased by 53% between March and July 2022 following the Russian invasion.
The American Primary Aluminum Association, which represents the domestic aluminum industry, encouraged the move, saying in a statement that the higher tariffs would address “the growing unfair trade advantage of the Russian aluminum industry.”