The governments of Russia and Turkey have filed complaints with the World Trade Organization regarding U.S. section 232 duties on steel and aluminum. They have indicated the value of those duties to be $538 million and $267 million respectively, bringing the total value of duties being complained about, including Japan, to $3.5 billion according to Reuters.

Exports of the metals covered from Russia and Turkey fell 16.4% and 26.2% respectively in the three months to April 30, Panjiva data shows, despite a surge in seaborne shipments in April.

While shipments from Russia have been complicated by sanctions against Rusal, as outlined in Panjiva research of May 3, it may go further than Turkey in terms of retaliation given the Russian parliament has passed a sweeping new trade-restriction bill, according to the Associated Press.

Chart segments U.S. imports of section 232 steel and aluminum products by origin on a monthly (dotted) and quarterly average (solid) basis. Most recent month based on seaborne shipments. Source: Panjiva

Turkey also announced a list of 22 products which retaliatory tariffs will be applied to. The list is similar to that proposed by the European Union in being focused on agriculture (25.8% of the total Panjiva data shows) but also includes a range of energy products (38.7% of the total). The products chosen are also significant for wider Turkey-U.S. trade relations, with imports in the 12 months to March 31 worth $1.63 billion, or 16.1% of total Turkish imports from the U.S.

Chart segments U.S. exports to Turkey by product (HS-4). Source: Panjiva