US Rejects EU Solar Tariff Alternative at the WTO

Refusing the European Union’s request leaves the door open for retaliatory measures.  The Trump administration has refused to accept European Union alternatives to U.S. safeguard tariffson importedsolarproducts, according to a joint statement issued by the World Trade Organization.Safeguard measures are permitted under WTO rules if a country faces serious injury due to a surge in imports of a particular product. However, the country implementing the safeguards must compensate their trading partners in other areas, or accept that other countries can put up their own barriers. In response to the Section 201 solar trade case, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and the EU demanded compensation after President Trump signed the tariffs into law on January 22.