Global Trade
December 9, 2025
Aluminum Association outlines USMCA plan to stem unfair imports
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
The Aluminum Association is urging the US government to use the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) to stop unfairly subsidized Chinese aluminum from entering the market.
Testifying last week during the US Trade Representative’s hearing on the first joint review of the USMCA, the group’s President and CEO Charles Johnson said the growing imports risk jobs and national security.
“A renewed but strengthened USMCA must deliver on its original promise: a level playing field for North American manufacturers and workers,” Johnson said in his testimony. “With strong monitoring, harmonized tariffs, and fair rules of origin, we can ensure that the benefits of USMCA flow to the US, Canada and Mexico—not to subsidized producers in China.”
USMCA was struck during President Trump’s first term to replace NAFTA. A joint review of USMCA is scheduled for July 1.
The organization said Chinese subsidized aluminum coil (HTS Code 7606) entering the USMCA region has increased dramatically in recent years.
“For example, coil imports into Mexico are up nearly 500% 2025 year-to-date compared to 2017,” the Arlington, Va.-based group stated. “Subsidized coil imports into the region so far this year are equivalent to the capacity of a major US rolling mill.”
The Aluminum Association said the following steps should be part of a renegotiated USMCA in order for Mexico and Canada to continue enjoying preferential tariff treatment:
- Mexico must immediately implement an Aluminum Import Monitoring (AIM) System. After committing to establish an AIM system in 2019, Mexico still has not done so. The US and Canada have systems to track country of smelt and country of most recent cast.
- Harmonize aluminum tariffs across North America to create a unified aluminum border. All three countries should adopt aligned tariffs that match Section 232 measures and close duty drawback loopholes that negate impacts of US tariffs.
- Strengthen rules of origin and regional value content requirements. Products containing any Chinese or other non-market economy aluminum should not qualify for preferential USMCA treatment. Updates should apply to all stages of aluminum—upstream, midstream, and downstream—and include clear regional value content requirements to prevent trade circumvention.
- Protect the free flow of aluminum scrap within North America. Scrap is a vital feedstock and critical for new US aluminum investments. Scrap exports to China and other non-market economies should be prevented.
- Use Section 232 to address downstream products incorporating unfairly traded metal imported from Mexico or Canada.
