Turkey files complaint against US steel and aluminum duties to WTO

Turkey has lodged a complaint at the World Trade Organization against additional U.S. duties on Turkish steel and aluminium.
For more on this and other news around the world we turn to our Ro Aram…
Aram… the trade dispute between the two countries seems to be escalating….

That's right Mark… Turkish officials had previously hinted that Ankara would initiate a dispute complaint with the World Trade Organisation.
The WTO confirmed Monday that it has received the request.
The move comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier this month that he had authorized the doubling of tariffs on Turkish metal imports.
That would mean the tariff rate on steel would rise to 50 percent and 20 percent for aluminum.
This came amid a row over an American pastor, who is being held in Turkey on terror charges.
Last week, in retaliation, Turkey increased import duties on American goods, such as alcohol and cars.
The diplomatic rift between the two nations has thrown Turkey's financial markets into turmoil, with the country's currency dropping to record lows - though it has rebounded slightly.
In its complaint to the WTO, Ankara claimed Washington was violating free trade rules when it initially imposed steel tariffs on various countries, adding that the doubling of these rates amounts to an additional violation.
Under dispute consultations, both sides have three months to seek a solution before the organisation's trade judges get involved.
Turkey joins Canada, Mexico and the EU, among other nations, in filing complaints at the WTO.