British PM Johnson Says Steel Tariffs Could Be Used to Protect Industry

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it's reasonable to shield the U.K. steel industry with tariffs that mirror those found in other European countries, Bloomberg reported. Responding to Sunday Telegraph reports that he is ready to skirt World Trade Organization rules to impose new tariffs, Johnson said June 26 at the Group of Seven summit that tariffs could help alleviate hard times for the steel industry due to high energy prices. “We need British steel to be provided with much cheaper energy and cheap electricity for its blast furnaces,” Johnson said. “But until we can fix that, I think it is reasonable for UK steel to have the same protections that other European, absolutely every other European steel economy does.”