By Paul Ploumis

Falls Church, VA (AIIS) - Leaders of the nations attending the G20 Summit in Germany in July strengthened language expressing the group’s position on steel excess capacity.

The G20 Leaders’ Declaration states that the heads of the world’s 20 largest economies “commit to further strengthening our cooperation to find collective solutions to tackle” excess capacity in steel.

“We urgently call for the removal of market-distorting subsidies and other types of support by governments and related entities,” the declaration stated. “Each of us commits to take the necessary actions to deliver the collective solutions that foster a truly level playing field.”

In addition, the statement urged nations “to rapidly develop concrete policy solutions that reduce steel excess capacity.”

The statement released after the 2016 G20 Summit used weaker, less active language regarding the issue, with the leaders mostly stating that they “recognize” problems related to excess capacity.

The 2017 language was a win for the Trump administration, which has expressed more support for protectionist measures, especially regarding steel, than previous administrations. The United States, though, did agree to back language in the declaration that states, “We will keep markets open noting the importance of reciprocal and mutually advantageous trade and investment frameworks and the principle of non-discrimination, and continue to fight protectionism including all unfair trade practices and recognize the role of legitimate trade defense instruments in this regard.”

• [Editor:Wang Linyan]