The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) requested that the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) conduct an investigation under section 332 of the 1930 Tariff Act to “assess the [greenhouse gas (GHG)] emissions intensity of steel and aluminum produced in the United States, which will help to inform” the ongoing U.S.-EU Global Arrangement on Sustainable Steel and Aluminum (GASSA) negotiations. Set to be finalized in October 2023, GASSA is designed to discourage trade in “emissions-intensive steel and aluminum products,” and, as some suspect, imposing higher duties on the import of covered products for which emissions exceed certain benchmarks. The investigation itself may be intended to assist USTR in determining the benchmarks to be set by GASSA. To this end, USTR has requested that USITC survey U.S. or foreign-owned firms with facilities producing steel and aluminum in the United States to determine those products’ highest and average GHG emissions intensity. The steel and aluminum product categories to be considered in the survey include stainless steels, carbon and other alloy (e.g., flat, long, semi-finished, and pipe and tube products), and unwrought and wrought products (e.g., bars, wire, foil, castings, etc.). USTR has requested that the report be completed by January 28, 2025.
