EU Threatens Action if U.S. Curbs Imports

The European Union threatened to complain to the World Trade Organization if the United States closes its market to steel imports it blames for harming struggling U.S. producers.

The executive European Commission expressed strong concern over Monday’s decision by a U.S. trade panel clearing the way for President Bush to impose import restrictions on key steel products by next year.

The dispute comes as Brussels and Washington seek support for a round of global trade liberalization talks at a WTO meeting in Qatar on Nov. 9.

Restrictions would hit steel producers in the EU, which is among the top suppliers to the United States, along with countries such as South Korea, Japan, Turkey, Brazil and China.