WT/DS544/4  
 
19 April 2018  
(18-2473) Page: 1/1 
  Original: English  
 
UNITED STATES – CERTAIN MEASURES ON STEEL AND ALUMINIUM PRODUCTS  
REQUEST TO JOIN CONS ULTATIONS  
Communication from the Russian Federation  
The following communication, dated 18 April 2018 , from the delegation of the Russia n Federation  
to the delegation of the United States , the delegation of China  and to the Chairperson of the 
Dispute Settlement Body, is circulated in accordance with Article  4.11 of the DSU.  
 
_______________  
 
 
I wish to refer to the consultations requested by the People 's Republic of China pursuant to 
Article  4 of the Understanding on Rules and Procedures Governing the Settlement of Disputes 
("DSU"), Article XXII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 ("GATT 1994"), and 
Article 14 of the Agreement on Safeguards concerning, inter alia,  certain measures of the United 
States to adjust imports of steel into the United States and to adjust imports of aluminium into the 
United States, including but not limited to, imposing additional ad valorem rate of duty on imports 
of certain steel and aluminium products and exempting certain selected WTO Members from the 
measures , as stated in China 's communication circulated to WTO Members on 9 April 2018 
(WT/DS544/1, G/L/1222, G/SG/D50/1) titled  "United States — Certain Measures on Steel and 
Alumi nium Products" (DS544) . My authorities instructed me to notify pursuant to Article 4.11 of 
the DSU the consulting Members and the Dispute Settlement Body of the desire of the Russian 
Federation to be joined in these consultations.  
The measures at issue are  applied to the imports of steel and aluminium products from the 
Russian Federation. The amount of Russia 's exports of mentioned products to the United States 
has been significant, as it was acknowledged, in particular, in the reports of the US Department of 
Commerce following the investigations conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 
1962. More specifically, in January -October 2017 Russia 's exports of aluminium products 
amounted to 625  792 metric tons making Russia the second largest supp lier of this type of 
products to the US.1 Exports of steel products from Russia to the US in 2017 was around 
3 123 691 metric tons which ranked Russia fifth among the US importers.2 
Thus, the application by the United States of the challenged measures has significant detrimental 
effect on Russia 's trade interests.  
Therefore, the Russian Federation has substantial trade interest in these consultations.  
 
__________  
                                                
1 Report on findings of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce pursuant to 
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. §1862), into the effect of imports of 
aluminum on the national security of the United Stat es, January 17, 2018, p. 66.  
2 Report on findings of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Commerce pursuant to 
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended (19 U.S.C. §1862), into the effect of imports of 
steel mill products on the national security of the United States, January 11, 2018, p. 28.