Double US tariffs, a silent blow to Brescia’s manufacturing
They are called tariffs, and they are often a source of trickery: it seems the Trump administration intends to reinterpret the 15% tariff agreed on aluminium and steel imports from the European Union, raising it to 50% for metal parts in machinery and products made of these two materials. To give just a few examples: air conditioners, tableware, furniture, lighting, motorbikes, bulldozers, railway wagons, and handling equipment.
The economic burden would be extremely heavy for both European exporters and producers as well as for American customers. It may look like a shell game: it is hard to foresee whether the measure will withstand criticism, but it is certain that this decision could put the entire US–EU trade agreement at serious risk.
Even more significant is the fact that scrap is excluded from the tariff increase – a clear sign of the aggressive protectionist nature of Trump’s policies. The European Union now faces a primary aluminium deficit exceeding 87% of its domestic demand: every year, 7 million tonnes of raw aluminium are required to sustain our industry. In this context, we cannot afford a flight of scrap towards the United States, where this strategic material is exempted from the 50% tariffs.
This scenario further highlights the importance of close monitoring and timely action, defending the value of recycling and the remarkable results achieved by the European – and in particular Italian – aluminium industry in circularity, which represents a cornerstone of sustainability and of our continent’s strategic autonomy.
The full article by Giornale di Brescia is available here.
