The Hindu Bureau
Steel and aluminium products, especially those made by MSME units, should be included in the ongoing negotiations with the U.S. for a bilateral trade agreement, said EEPC India.
EEPC India also suggested maintaining status quo in quota and the out-of-quota tariffs while negotiating a free trade agreement with the European Union.
Pankaj Chadha, chairman of EEPC India, said the 50% tariff under Section 232 by the U.S. has significantly impacted engineering exports to the US market, necessitating the inclusion of specified products in the BTA negotiation.
“The 50% tariff imposition by the U.S. increases the tariff differential with our competitors to an average of 30%. A special support package that can absorb at least 15% of this differential would help us to secure our position,” he said.
Further, the new EU proposal on reducing quotas and increasing out-of-quota tariffs to 50% is a cause of concern. The EU has kept these products out of the purview of its trade agreement negotiations with India, he said.
“It may be ensured that out-of-quota tariffs do not exceed 25%, and the same is gradually phased out over five to six years, especially considering the ongoing FTA negotiations with the EU,” he said.
Eom/msp
Published – November 10, 2025 10:54 pm IST
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/business/eepc-calls-for-inclusion-of-steel-aluminium-in-trade-talks-with-us/article70263918.ece
