Tariff on unalloyed aluminium cut in half by EU

In an act that will benefit Russia, a 6% duty on unalloyed aluminium imports was cut to 3% by the European Union nations.

Russia stands to benefit most from the proposed relief from the duty on unalloyed aluminium because domestic exporters such as OAO Russian Aluminium, now part of United Company Rusal, account for most of the EU imports that are subject to the levy.

Trade officials denied a request to eliminate the tariff altogether and will review the action in three years for any possible amendments.

The tariff relief would leave untouched the 6% EU import tax on the alloyed version of the product, a further sign of the political sensitivity of dismantling the tariff protection. The aluminium duty, unchanged for the past decade, also protects such producers in the EU as Alcan Inc., Norsk Hydro ASA , Glencore International AG and Rio Tinto Plc..