European Group Calls for Metal Import Tariffs to be Lifted

The Federation of Aluminium Consumers in Europe (FACE) is calling for the EU Commission and member states to eliminate all tariffs on imports of alloyed and non-alloyed primary aluminium.

FACE says the current tariffs - a six percent duty on alloyed primary aluminium and three percent on non-alloyed primary aluminium ? "severely affects the domestic and international competitiveness of the EU independent aluminium transformers".

The organisation says this makes it more difficult and costly to source stable and sufficient supplies of metal.

In a statement, FACE says the current duty on alloyed primary aluminium, together with a shift in the aluminium market following Rio Tinto's merger with Alcan, has seen mining firms integrate the mining of bauxite, it's refining into alumina and the smelting of aluminium, resulting in companies disinvesting from their downstream businesses.

"This situation puts at risk the only segment of the EU aluminium industry that could create jobs," says FACE Secretary General Mario Conserva.

By Ozge Ibrahim